Caleb vs Lorcan
Caleb and Lorcancompared 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.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Caleb was ranked #26 and Lorcan #54 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Caleb was ranked #75 and Lorcan #691 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Caleb was ranked #108 and Lorcan #125 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Caleb and Lorcan over time
Caleb and Lorcan appear together in 3 published lists, across 91 years of shared records. Caleb held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Lorcan 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.
Lorcan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Caleb 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 2006, Caleb moved ahead of Lorcan in Northern Ireland · Boys — #113 and #89 the year before became #78 and #80.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Caleb and Lorcan changed places 5 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2024, ending at #26 and #54.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Boys, Caleb and Lorcan averaged 26.9 places apart, ending at #26 and #54.
- Longest-running competitions
Caleb and Lorcan were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 34 years, from 1983 to 2025, ending at #108 and #125.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Caleb #20 in 2023, Lorcan #31 in 2023.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys34 shared years, 1983–2025
Caleb held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Lorcan in 27.
Highest recorded here: Caleb #91 in 2024, Lorcan #87 in 2015.
The order changed in 2020: Caleb moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #140 and #128; by 2020 that had become #132 and #158.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Caleb #108, Lorcan #125.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Caleb held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Lorcan in 0.
Highest recorded here: Caleb #72 in 2023, Lorcan #481 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Caleb #75, Lorcan #691.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Caleb held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Lorcan in 4.
Highest recorded here: Caleb #20 in 2023, Lorcan #31 in 2023.
The order changed in 2006: Caleb moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #113 and #89; by 2006 that had become #78 and #80.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Caleb #26, Lorcan #54.
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 | Caleb | Lorcan |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #108 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #125 (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
- Caleb and Lorcan both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
Caleb
Popularity journey
First recorded1982
First recorded at #98 among boys in New Zealand in 1982 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Boys
Highest recorded1982–2023
Highest recorded position: #12 among boys in New Zealand, in 1999 (recorded 1982–2023).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #108 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Lorcan
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #147 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 recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #31 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2023 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #125 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys