Namewise

Caoimhin vs Faolan

Caoimhin and Faolancompared 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, Caoimhin was ranked #118 and Faolan #116 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2017, Caoimhin was ranked #547 and Faolan #336 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

Caoimhin and Faolan over time

Caoimhin and Faolan appear together in 2 published lists, across 31 years of shared records. Caoimhin held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Faolan 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.

Caoimhin reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Faolan 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.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys17 shared years, 19932017

    Caoimhin held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Faolan in 5.

    Highest recorded here: Caoimhin #200 in 1996, Faolan #283 in 2016.

    The order changed in 2013: Faolan moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #324 and #457; by 2013 that had become #534 and #479.

    Most recent shared year, 2017: Caoimhin #547, Faolan #336.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys14 shared years, 20062024

    Caoimhin held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Faolan in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Caoimhin #99 in 2021, Faolan #116 in 2024.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Caoimhin #118, Faolan #116.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Caoimhin, Faolan
FieldCaoimhinFaolan
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
PronunciationNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, IEGB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #829 (2025)England and Wales · Boys #2133 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)76/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Caoimhin and Faolan both have 2 syllables.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.

How each name got here

Caoimhin

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1965

    First recorded at #222 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1997–2024

    Highest recorded position: #99 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2021 (recorded 1997–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

Faolan

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1993

    First recorded at #339 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1993 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  2. Highest recorded2006–2024

    Highest recorded position: #116 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2024 (recorded 2006–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #2133 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys