Cathal vs Dean
Cathal and Deancompared 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, Cathal was ranked #90 and Dean #432 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2023, Cathal was ranked #139 and Dean #348 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2022, Cathal was ranked #3449 and Dean #585 among boys in England and Wales.
Cathal and Dean over time
Cathal and Dean appear together in 3 published lists, across 107 years of shared records. Cathal held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Dean in 1.
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.
Dean reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Cathal 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 2011, Cathal moved ahead of Dean in Northern Ireland · Boys — #142 and #127 the year before became #155 and #183.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Cathal and Dean changed places 4 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1966 and 2025, ending at #90 and #432.
- Longest-running competitions
Cathal and Dean were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 60 years, from 1966 to 2025, ending at #90 and #432.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Cathal #809 in 1997, Dean #80 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys60 shared years, 1966–2025
Cathal held the stronger position in 45 of those years, Dean in 15.
Highest recorded here: Cathal #31 in 1998, Dean #24 in 1993.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Cathal #90, Dean #432.
Northern Ireland · Boys24 shared years, 1997–2023
Cathal held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Dean in 11.
Highest recorded here: Cathal #78 in 1997, Dean #45 in 1997.
The order changed in 2011: Cathal moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #142 and #127; by 2011 that had become #155 and #183.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Cathal #139, Dean #348.
England and Wales · Boys23 shared years, 1996–2022
Cathal held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Dean in 23.
Highest recorded here: Cathal #809 in 1997, Dean #80 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Cathal #3449, Dean #585.
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 | Cathal | Dean |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #90 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #432 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Cathal has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Dean.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
Cathal
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #96 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: #31 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1998 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #90 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Dean
Popularity journey
First recorded1956
First recorded at #95 among boys in New Zealand in 1956 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Boys
Highest recorded1956–1991
Highest recorded position: #13 among boys in New Zealand, in 1967 (recorded 1956–1991).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #432 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys