Ciaran vs Hugh
Ciaran and Hughcompared 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, Ciaran was ranked #372 and Hugh #179 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Ciaran was ranked #191 and Hugh #330 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Ciaran was ranked #216 and Hugh #339 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Ciaran was ranked #800 and Hugh #500 among boys in England and Wales.
Ciaran and Hugh over time
Ciaran and Hugh appear together in 3 published lists, across 118 years of shared records. Ciaran held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Hugh in 0.
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.
Hugh reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Ciaran in 1. 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 2018, Hugh moved ahead of Ciaran in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #78 and #117 the year before became #520 and #135.
- Longest-running competitions
Ciaran and Hugh were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 61 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #372 and #179.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys61 shared years, 1964–2025
Ciaran held the stronger position in 54 of those years, Hugh in 7.
Highest recorded here: Ciaran #23 in 2000, Hugh #53 in 1964.
The order changed in 2018: Hugh moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #78 and #117; by 2018 that had become #520 and #135.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ciaran #372, Hugh #179.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ciaran held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Hugh in 12.
Highest recorded here: Ciaran #107 in 2004, Hugh #198 in 1997.
The order changed in 2013: Hugh moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #382 and #398; by 2013 that had become #489 and #407.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ciaran #800, Hugh #500.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Ciaran held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Hugh in 1.
Highest recorded here: Ciaran #26 in 1998, Hugh #126 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ciaran #216, Hugh #339.
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 | Ciaran | Hugh |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | The unaccented catalogue spelling of Ciarán, a diminutive of Ciar ('black, dark') — borne by two 6th-century Irish saints, Ciarán the Elder (founder of Saighir) and Ciarán the Younger (founder of Clonmacnoise). | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Irish, from Old Irish ciar ('dark') | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈciə.ɾˠaːnˠ/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Ciarán, Kieran, Kieron, Kyran | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #372 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #179 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 92/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Ciaran has a recorded origin (Irish, from Old Irish ciar ('dark')); Hugh does not have one recorded yet.
- Ciaran has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Hugh.
- A meaning is recorded for Ciaran; Hugh doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
- The available evidence gives Ciaran a "high" Data Confidence level and Hugh a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Ciaran
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #49 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: #23 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2000 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #372 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Hugh
Popularity journey
First recorded1955
First recorded at #91 among boys in New Zealand in 1955 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #53 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #179 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys