Basil vs Dennis
Basil and Denniscompared 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.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2020, Basil was ranked #741 and Dennis #402 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Basil was ranked #1282 and Dennis #453 among boys in England and Wales.
Basil and Dennis over time
Basil and Dennis appear together in 2 published lists, across 41 years of shared records. Dennis held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Basil in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.
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, 1996–2024
Basil held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Dennis in 29.
Highest recorded here: Basil #1023 in 2021, Dennis #316 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Basil #1282, Dennis #453.
Republic of Ireland · Boys12 shared years, 1964–2020
Basil held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Dennis in 9.
Highest recorded here: Basil #185 in 1966, Dennis #179 in 1971.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Basil #741, Dennis #402.
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 | Basil | Dennis |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Boys #1282 (2024) | Norway · Boys #156 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 60/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Basil and Dennis both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE.
How each name got here
Basil
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1964–2020
Highest recorded position: #185 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1966 (recorded 1964–2020).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #1282 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys
Dennis
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #34 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1952–1970
Highest recorded position: #34 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1970).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #156 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys