Aodhan vs Odhran
Aodhan and Odhrancompared 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, Aodhan was ranked #108 and Odhran #40 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Aodhan was ranked #829 and Odhran #130 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Aodhan was ranked #727 and Odhran #169 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Aodhan was ranked #5119 and Odhran #1000 among boys in England and Wales.
Aodhan and Odhran over time
Aodhan and Odhran appear together in 3 published lists, across 88 years of shared records. Odhran held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Aodhan in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Aodhan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Odhran in none. 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Aodhan and Odhran changed places 6 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2024, ending at #5119 and #1000.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Boys, Aodhan and Odhran averaged 40.1 places apart, ending at #108 and #40.
- Mirrored each other
Over 22 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Odhran rose about as far as Aodhan fell — from #2863 and #2863 in 1996 to #5119 and #1000 in 2024.
- Longest-running competitions
Aodhan and Odhran were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 38 years, from 1977 to 2025, ending at #829 and #130.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Aodhan #52 in 2020, Odhran #35 in 2022.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys38 shared years, 1977–2025
Aodhan held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Odhran in 30.
Highest recorded here: Aodhan #171 in 2014, Odhran #58 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Aodhan #829, Odhran #130.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Aodhan held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Odhran in 26.
Highest recorded here: Aodhan #52 in 2020, Odhran #35 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Aodhan #108, Odhran #40.
England and Wales · Boys22 shared years, 1996–2024
Aodhan held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Odhran in 11.
Highest recorded here: Aodhan #1587 in 2019, Odhran #1000 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Aodhan #5119, Odhran #1000.
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 | Aodhan | Odhran |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | From Old Irish Odrán, combining 'odar' (dun-coloured, greyish-brown, tan) with a diminutive suffix — 'little dun/ashen one'. Borne by St Patrick's charioteer Odrán and by St Odhrán (Oran) of Iona, companion of St Columba. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Irish (medieval) |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈəu̯.ɾˠaːnˠ/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Odhrán, Odran, Oran, Orin, Orrin |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #829 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #130 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Odhran has a recorded origin (Irish (medieval)); Aodhan does not have one recorded yet.
- Aodhan and Odhran both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Odhran; Aodhan doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
- The available evidence gives Aodhan a "medium" Data Confidence level and Odhran a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Aodhan
Popularity journey
First recorded1977
First recorded at #333 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1977 — 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: #52 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2020 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Odhran
Popularity journey
First recorded1971
First recorded at #257 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1971 — 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: #35 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2022 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #130 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys