Cathal vs Francis
Cathal and Franciscompared 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 Francis #309 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Cathal was ranked #136 and Francis #278 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2022, Cathal was ranked #3449 and Francis #208 among boys in England and Wales.
Cathal and Francis over time
Cathal and Francis appear together in 3 published lists, across 113 years of shared records. Cathal held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Francis 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.
Francis 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 1987, Cathal moved ahead of Francis in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #66 and #58 the year before became #54 and #63.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Boys, Cathal and Francis averaged 54.9 places apart, ending at #136 and #278.
- Longest-running competitions
Cathal and Francis were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #90 and #309.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Cathal #809 in 1997, Francis #188 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Cathal held the stronger position in 39 of those years, Francis in 23.
Highest recorded here: Cathal #31 in 1998, Francis #16 in 1964.
The order changed in 1987: Cathal moved ahead. In 1986 they stood at #66 and #58; by 1987 that had become #54 and #63.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Cathal #90, Francis #309.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Cathal held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Francis in 1.
Highest recorded here: Cathal #78 in 1997, Francis #100 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Cathal #136, Francis #278.
England and Wales · Boys23 shared years, 1996–2022
Cathal held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Francis in 23.
Highest recorded here: Cathal #809 in 1997, Francis #188 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Cathal #3449, Francis #208.
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 | Francis |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #90 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #309 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Cathal and Francis both have 2 syllables.
- 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
Francis
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #74 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: #16 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #316 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys