Arran vs Darren
Arran and Darrencompared 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.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Arran was ranked #51 and Darren #535 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2002, Arran was ranked #220 and Darren #123 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Arran was ranked #657 and Darren #276 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Arran was ranked #1025 and Darren #1108 among boys in England and Wales.
Arran and Darren over time
Arran and Darren appear together in 2 published lists, across 57 years of shared records. Darren held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Arran in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Darren reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Arran 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.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Arran #207 in 1997, Darren #123 in 1996.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Arran held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Darren in 21.
Highest recorded here: Arran #207 in 1997, Darren #123 in 1996.
The order changed in 2023: Arran moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #1469 and #993; by 2023 that had become #987 and #1272.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Arran #1025, Darren #1108.
Republic of Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1979–2022
Arran held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Darren in 28.
Highest recorded here: Arran #196 in 2000, Darren #20 in 1989.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Arran #657, Darren #276.
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 | Arran | Darren |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Exact meaning uncertain — may derive from a rare Irish surname, or be a variant of Darrell. Popularized in the late 1950s by actor Darren McGavin and in the 1960s by the character Darrin Stephens from Bewitched. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Uncertain (possibly Irish surname, or a variant of Darrell) |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈdæɹ.ən/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Scotland · Boys #51 (2024) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #676 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Darren has a recorded origin (Uncertain (possibly Irish surname, or a variant of Darrell)); Arran does not have one recorded yet.
- Arran and Darren both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Darren; Arran doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
How each name got here
Arran
Popularity journey
First recorded1979
First recorded at #292 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1979 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #1025 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys
Darren
Popularity journey
First recorded1960
First recorded at #83 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1960 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1960–1989
Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1966 (recorded 1960–1989).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #676 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys