Billy vs Kealan
Billy and Kealancompared 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 Kealan #509 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Billy was ranked #127 and Kealan #3688 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2021, Billy was ranked #176 and Kealan #433 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Billy and Kealan over time
Billy and Kealan appear together in 3 published lists, across 87 years of shared records. Billy held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Kealan 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.
Kealan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Billy 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2021, Billy moved ahead of Kealan in Northern Ireland · Boys — #279 and #250 the year before became #176 and #433.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Billy and Kealan changed places 7 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1998 and 2021, ending at #176 and #433.
- Mirrored each other
Over 41 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Billy rose about as far as Kealan fell — from #248 and #286 in 1982 to #39 and #509 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Billy and Kealan were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 41 years, from 1982 to 2025, ending at #39 and #509.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Billy #68 in 1998, Kealan #845 in 1997.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys41 shared years, 1982–2025
Billy held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Kealan in 8.
Highest recorded here: Billy #39 in 2025, Kealan #168 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Billy #39, Kealan #509.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Billy held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Kealan in 0.
Highest recorded here: Billy #68 in 1998, Kealan #845 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Billy #127, Kealan #3688.
Northern Ireland · Boys17 shared years, 1998–2021
Billy held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Kealan in 5.
Highest recorded here: Billy #176 in 2021, Kealan #173 in 2001.
The order changed in 2021: Billy moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #279 and #250; by 2021 that had become #176 and #433.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Billy #176, Kealan #433.
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 | Kealan |
|---|---|---|
| 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, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #39 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #509 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Billy and Kealan both have 2 syllables.
- 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
Kealan
Popularity journey
First recorded1976
First recorded at #316 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1976 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1976–2025
Highest recorded position: #168 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1997 (recorded 1976–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #509 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys