Brendan vs Colin
Brendan and Colincompared 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 1983, Brendan was ranked #29 and Colin #90 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1975, Brendan was ranked #68 and Colin #99 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Brendan was ranked #402 and Colin #348 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2021, Brendan was ranked #433 and Colin #433 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Brendan was ranked #1402 and Colin #1000 among boys in England and Wales.
Brendan and Colin over time
Brendan and Colin appear together in 5 published lists, across 140 years of shared records. Brendan held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Colin in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Colin reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Brendan 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 1971, Brendan moved ahead of Colin in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #76 and #51 the year before became #54 and #58.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Brendan and Colin changed places 11 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2025, ending at #402 and #348.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 62 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Brendan and Colin averaged 30.1 places apart, ending at #402 and #348.
- Longest-running competitions
Brendan and Colin were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #402 and #348.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Brendan #157 in 1998, Colin #311 in 1997.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Brendan held the stronger position in 45 of those years, Colin in 14.
Highest recorded here: Brendan #16 in 1965, Colin #38 in 1985.
The order changed in 2024: Colin moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #288 and #436; by 2024 that had become #394 and #302.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Brendan #402, Colin #348.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Brendan held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Colin in 8.
Highest recorded here: Brendan #157 in 1998, Colin #311 in 1997.
The order changed in 2019: Colin moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #958 and #1158; by 2019 that had become #1217 and #952.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Brendan #1402, Colin #1000.
Northern Ireland · Boys21 shared years, 1997–2021
Brendan held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Colin in 0.
Highest recorded here: Brendan #73 in 1997, Colin #96 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Brendan #433, Colin #433.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys19 shared years, 1965–1983
Brendan held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Colin in 6.
Highest recorded here: Brendan #29 in 1983, Colin #34 in 1965.
The order changed in 1971: Brendan moved ahead. In 1970 they stood at #76 and #51; by 1971 that had become #54 and #58.
Most recent shared year, 1983: Brendan #29, Colin #90.
New Zealand · Boys9 shared years, 1966–1975
Brendan held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Colin in 6.
Highest recorded here: Brendan #63 in 1974, Colin #46 in 1966.
The order changed in 1974: Brendan moved ahead. In 1973 they stood at #97 and #70; by 1974 that had become #63 and #81.
Most recent shared year, 1975: Brendan #68, Colin #99.
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 | Brendan | Colin |
|---|---|---|
| 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, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #402 (2025) | Norway · Boys #119 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Brendan and Colin both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
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
Colin
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #326 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–1983
Highest recorded position: #22 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1983).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #119 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys