Bradley vs Declan
Bradley and Declancompared 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 2003, Bradley was ranked #76 and Declan #71 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Bradley was ranked #246 and Declan #404 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Bradley was ranked #404 and Declan #256 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Bradley was ranked #372 and Declan #348 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Bradley was ranked #364 and Declan #371 among boys in England and Wales.
Bradley and Declan over time
Bradley and Declan appear together in 3 published lists, across 89 years of shared records. Declan held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Bradley in 1.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Declan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Bradley 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Bradley and Declan changed places 10 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2024, ending at #404 and #256.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 27 shared years in Northern Ireland · Boys, Bradley and Declan averaged 33.8 places apart, ending at #404 and #256.
- Longest-running competitions
Bradley and Declan were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 33 years, from 1987 to 2025, ending at #372 and #348.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Bradley #68 in 1998, Declan #54 in 1997.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys33 shared years, 1987–2025
Bradley held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Declan in 21.
Highest recorded here: Bradley #130 in 2015, Declan #40 in 1987.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Bradley #372, Declan #348.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Bradley held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Declan in 0.
Highest recorded here: Bradley #28 in 1997, Declan #66 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Bradley #364, Declan #371.
Northern Ireland · Boys27 shared years, 1997–2024
Bradley held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Declan in 15.
Highest recorded here: Bradley #68 in 1998, Declan #54 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Bradley #404, Declan #256.
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 | Bradley | Declan |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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 | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #372 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #348 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Bradley and Declan both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Bradley
Popularity journey
First recorded1956
First recorded at #83 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1956 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1956–2003
Highest recorded position: #19 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1976 (recorded 1956–2003).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #372 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Declan
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #23 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: #12 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1971 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #348 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys