Andrew vs Ronan
Andrew and Ronancompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Andrew was ranked #216 and Ronan #25 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Andrew was ranked #104 and Ronan #75 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Andrew was ranked #106 and Ronan #86 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Andrew was ranked #315 and Ronan #268 among boys in England and Wales.
Andrew and Ronan over time
Andrew and Ronan appear together in 3 published lists, across 119 years of shared records. Andrew held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Ronan in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Andrew reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Ronan in 1. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
How this pair is related
The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.
- One took the other's place near the top
In Northern Ireland · Boys, Ronan moved into the top 50 at #32 in 2008 as Andrew fell out of it to #80, having been #33 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2008, Ronan moved ahead of Andrew in Northern Ireland · Boys — #33 and #38 the year before became #80 and #32.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Andrew and Ronan changed places 7 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2025, ending at #106 and #86.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 62 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Andrew and Ronan averaged 17.1 places apart, ending at #106 and #86.
- Longest-running competitions
Andrew and Ronan were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #106 and #86.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Andrew held the stronger position in 49 of those years, Ronan in 12.
Highest recorded here: Andrew #16 in 1992, Ronan #31 in 1980.
The order changed in 2022: Ronan moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #95 and #97; by 2022 that had become #124 and #96.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Andrew #106, Ronan #86.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Andrew held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Ronan in 4.
Highest recorded here: Andrew #29 in 1996, Ronan #139 in 1999.
The order changed in 2021: Ronan moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #266 and #305; by 2021 that had become #291 and #249.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Andrew #315, Ronan #268.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Andrew held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Ronan in 17.
Highest recorded here: Andrew #5 in 1997, Ronan #20 in 2019.
The order changed in 2008: Ronan moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #33 and #38; by 2008 that had become #80 and #32.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Andrew #216, Ronan #25.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Andrew | Ronan |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | The English form of Greek Andreas, from 'andreios' ('manly, masculine'), itself from 'aner' ('man'). The apostle Andrew was the first disciple to join Jesus and is patron saint of Scotland. | Traditionally interpreted as 'little seal'. |
| Origin | Greek, biblical | Irish |
| Pronunciation | /ˈæn.dɹuː/ | /ˈɹoʊnən/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #106 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #86 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Andrew is recorded with a Greek, biblical origin, while Ronan is recorded with a Irish origin.
- Andrew and Ronan both have 2 syllables.
- Andrew's recorded meaning differs from Ronan's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
How each name got here
Andrew
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #344 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1954–2013
Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in New Zealand, in 1975 (recorded 1954–2013).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #106 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Ronan
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #67 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #20 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2019 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #86 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys