Cain vs Denis
Cain and Deniscompared 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, Cain was ranked #676 and Denis #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Cain was ranked #404 and Denis #305 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Cain was ranked #1460 and Denis #434 among boys in England and Wales.
Cain and Denis over time
Cain and Denis appear together in 3 published lists, across 71 years of shared records. Cain held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Denis 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.
Cain reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Denis 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
Cain and Denis changed places 7 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1998 and 2024, ending at #404 and #305.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Cain held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Denis in 14.
Highest recorded here: Cain #184 in 2001, Denis #262 in 2020.
The order changed in 2011: Denis moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #451 and #470; by 2011 that had become #516 and #441.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Cain #1460, Denis #434.
Republic of Ireland · Boys26 shared years, 1991–2025
Cain held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Denis in 26.
Highest recorded here: Cain #222 in 1999, Denis #68 in 1991.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Cain #676, Denis #232.
Northern Ireland · Boys16 shared years, 1998–2024
Cain held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Denis in 4.
Highest recorded here: Cain #149 in 2004, Denis #231 in 2011.
The order changed in 2024: Denis moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #312 and #395; by 2024 that had become #404 and #305.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Cain #404, Denis #305.
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 | Cain | Denis |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #676 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Cain has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Denis.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
Cain
Popularity journey
First recorded1991
First recorded at #288 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1991 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1998–2024
Highest recorded position: #149 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2003 (recorded 1998–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #676 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Denis
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #65 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: #21 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys