Bernard vs Brendan
Bernard and Brendancompared 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.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1966, Bernard was ranked #89 and Brendan #98 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Bernard was ranked #339 and Brendan #404 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Bernard was ranked #509 and Brendan #402 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Bernard was ranked #613 and Brendan #1402 among boys in England and Wales.
Bernard and Brendan over time
Bernard and Brendan appear together in 3 published lists, across 110 years of shared records. Brendan held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Bernard in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Brendan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Bernard 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.
- Longest-running competitions
Bernard and Brendan were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #509 and #402.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Bernard #163 in 1998, Brendan #73 in 1997.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Bernard held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Brendan in 61.
Highest recorded here: Bernard #33 in 1964, Brendan #16 in 1965.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Bernard #509, Brendan #402.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Bernard held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Brendan in 22.
Highest recorded here: Bernard #613 in 2024, Brendan #157 in 1998.
The order changed in 2019: Bernard moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #1097 and #958; by 2019 that had become #825 and #1217.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Bernard #613, Brendan #1402.
Northern Ireland · Boys19 shared years, 1997–2024
Bernard held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Brendan in 18.
Highest recorded here: Bernard #163 in 1998, Brendan #73 in 1997.
The order changed in 2024: Bernard moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #414 and #311; by 2024 that had become #339 and #404.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Bernard #339, Brendan #404.
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 | Bernard | Brendan |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Boys #277 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #402 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Bernard and Brendan both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Bernard
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #84 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 recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #33 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #277 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys
Brendan
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #17 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 recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #16 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1965 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #402 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys