Charles vs Daniel
Charles and Danielcompared 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, Charles was ranked #188 and Daniel #13 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Charles was ranked #144 and Daniel #37 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2021, Charles was ranked #72 and Daniel #49 among boys in New Zealand.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Charles was ranked #160 and Daniel #52 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Charles was ranked #119 and Daniel #59 among boys in England and Wales.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Charles was ranked #94 and Daniel #64 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Charles was ranked #455 and Daniel #66 among boys in Norway.
Charles and Daniel over time
Charles and Daniel appear together in 6 published lists, across 295 years of shared records. Daniel held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Charles in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Charles reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Daniel in 2. 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 1957, Daniel moved ahead of Charles in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #72 and #78 the year before became #71 and #63.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Charles and Daniel changed places 5 times in Norway · Boys between 1945 and 2025, ending at #455 and #66.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Charles and Daniel averaged 44.1 places apart, ending at #119 and #59.
- Mirrored each other
Over 65 shared years in Norway · Boys, Daniel rose about as far as Charles fell — from #224 and #280 in 1945 to #455 and #66 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Charles and Daniel were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 55 years, from 1952 to 2025, ending at #94 and #64.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Charles #41 in 1998, Daniel #2 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Boys65 shared years, 1945–2025
Charles held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Daniel in 49.
Highest recorded here: Charles #177 in 1949, Daniel #3 in 1989.
The order changed in 1963: Daniel moved ahead. In 1962 they stood at #197 and #233; by 1963 that had become #303 and #264.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Charles #455, Daniel #66.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Charles held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Daniel in 62.
Highest recorded here: Charles #43 in 1964, Daniel #3 in 2009.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Charles #188, Daniel #13.
New Zealand · Boys56 shared years, 1954–2021
Charles held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Daniel in 49.
Highest recorded here: Charles #58 in 2008, Daniel #1 in 1980.
The order changed in 1963: Daniel moved ahead. In 1962 they stood at #69 and #74; by 1963 that had become #80 and #77.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Charles #72, Daniel #49.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys55 shared years, 1952–2025
Charles held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Daniel in 50.
Highest recorded here: Charles #57 in 1952, Daniel #2 in 1988.
The order changed in 1957: Daniel moved ahead. In 1956 they stood at #72 and #78; by 1957 that had become #71 and #63.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Charles #94, Daniel #64.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Charles held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Daniel in 29.
Highest recorded here: Charles #41 in 1998, Daniel #2 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Charles #119, Daniel #59.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Charles held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Daniel in 28.
Highest recorded here: Charles #75 in 2000, Daniel #2 in 2010.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Charles #144, Daniel #37.
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 | Charles | Daniel |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Commonly interpreted as 'God is my judge', referencing the biblical prophet Daniel. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈdænjəl/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #94 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #13 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Daniel has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Charles does not have one recorded yet.
- Charles and Daniel both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Daniel; Charles doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Charles
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #224 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #41 among boys in England and Wales, in 1998 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #94 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Daniel
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #280 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1954–2023
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New Zealand, in 1980 (recorded 1954–2023).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #64 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys