Billy vs Donnacha
Billy and Donnachacompared 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 2025, Billy was ranked #39 and Donnacha #64 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Billy was ranked #256 and Donnacha #93 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Billy was ranked #127 and Donnacha #2263 among boys in England and Wales.
Billy and Donnacha over time
Billy and Donnacha appear together in 3 published lists, across 77 years of shared records. Donnacha held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Billy in 1.
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.
Billy reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Donnacha 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2016, Donnacha moved ahead of Billy in Northern Ireland · Boys — #169 and #211 the year before became #232 and #134.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Billy and Donnacha changed places 7 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1970 and 2025, ending at #39 and #64.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 45 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Billy and Donnacha averaged 38.4 places apart, ending at #39 and #64.
- Longest-running competitions
Billy and Donnacha were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 45 years, from 1970 to 2025, ending at #39 and #64.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys45 shared years, 1970–2025
Billy held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Donnacha in 26.
Highest recorded here: Billy #39 in 2025, Donnacha #46 in 2022.
The order changed in 2023: Billy moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #49 and #46; by 2023 that had become #55 and #61.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Billy #39, Donnacha #64.
England and Wales · Boys16 shared years, 2007–2024
Billy held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Donnacha in 0.
Highest recorded here: Billy #89 in 2007, Donnacha #1786 in 2018.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Billy #127, Donnacha #2263.
Northern Ireland · Boys16 shared years, 2009–2024
Billy held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Donnacha in 12.
Highest recorded here: Billy #169 in 2015, Donnacha #89 in 2021.
The order changed in 2016: Donnacha moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #169 and #211; by 2016 that had become #232 and #134.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Billy #256, Donnacha #93.
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 | Billy | Donnacha |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #39 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #64 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 76/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Billy has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Donnacha.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
Billy
Popularity journey
First recorded1970
First recorded at #305 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1970 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1970–2025
Highest recorded position: #39 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025 (recorded 1970–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #44 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Donnacha
Popularity journey
First recorded1965
First recorded at #207 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1965–2025
Highest recorded position: #46 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2022 (recorded 1965–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #64 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys