Ciaran vs Nathaniel
Ciaran and Nathanielcompared 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.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Ciaran was ranked #800 and Nathaniel #144 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Ciaran was ranked #191 and Nathaniel #191 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Ciaran was ranked #216 and Nathaniel #278 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Ciaran was ranked #372 and Nathaniel #223 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Ciaran and Nathaniel over time
Ciaran and Nathaniel appear together in 3 published lists, across 89 years of shared records. Ciaran held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Nathaniel 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.
Ciaran reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Nathaniel 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Ciaran and Nathaniel changed places 4 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2024, ending at #800 and #144.
- Longest-running competitions
Ciaran and Nathaniel were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 32 years, from 1978 to 2025, ending at #372 and #223.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys32 shared years, 1978–2025
Ciaran held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Nathaniel in 7.
Highest recorded here: Ciaran #24 in 1998, Nathaniel #219 in 2020.
The order changed in 2018: Nathaniel moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #78 and #317; by 2018 that had become #520 and #269.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ciaran #372, Nathaniel #223.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ciaran held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Nathaniel in 26.
Highest recorded here: Ciaran #107 in 2004, Nathaniel #114 in 1999.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ciaran #800, Nathaniel #144.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Ciaran held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Nathaniel in 0.
Highest recorded here: Ciaran #26 in 1998, Nathaniel #188 in 2006.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ciaran #216, Nathaniel #278.
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 | Nathaniel |
|---|---|---|
| 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/ | |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Ciarán, Kieran, Kieron, Kyran | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #372 (2025) | Norway · Boys #170 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 70/100 |
| 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')); Nathaniel does not have one recorded yet.
- Ciaran has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Nathaniel.
- A meaning is recorded for Ciaran; Nathaniel 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 Nathaniel 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
Nathaniel
Popularity journey
First recorded1978
First recorded at #326 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1978 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded2003–2014
Highest recorded position: #79 among boys in New Zealand, in 2012 (recorded 2003–2014).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #170 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys