Namewise

Arran vs Isaac

Arran and Isaaccompared 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.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Arran was ranked #1025 and Isaac #37 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Arran was ranked #51 and Isaac #49 among boys in Scotland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2022, Arran was ranked #657 and Isaac #100 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2002, Arran was ranked #220 and Isaac #144 among boys in Northern Ireland.

Arran and Isaac over time

Arran and Isaac appear together in 2 published lists, across 50 years of shared records. Isaac held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Arran in 0.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

Arran reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Isaac 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.

List by list

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 19962024

    Arran held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Isaac in 29.

    Highest recorded here: Arran #207 in 1997, Isaac #20 in 2015.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Arran #1025, Isaac #37.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys21 shared years, 19902022

    Arran held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Isaac in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Arran #196 in 2000, Isaac #77 in 2014.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Arran #657, Isaac #100.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Arran, Isaac
FieldArranIsaac
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedTraditionally understood as 'he will laugh' or 'he laughs', tied to the biblical narrative in which Abraham and Sarah laugh at the prophecy of Isaac's birth in their old age.
OriginNot yet recordedBiblical Hebrew, transmitted into English via Greek Isaak and Late Latin Isaac
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˈaɪzək/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IEAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationScotland · Boys #51 (2024)New South Wales, Australia · Boys #26 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Isaac has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew, transmitted into English via Greek Isaak and Late Latin Isaac); Arran does not have one recorded yet.
  • Arran and Isaac both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Isaac; 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

  1. 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

  2. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #1025 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.

    England and Wales · Boys

Isaac

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #232 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

  2. Highest recorded1990–2025

    Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2015 (recorded 1990–2025).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #26 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys