Ciaran vs Olly
Ciaran and Ollycompared 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.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Ciaran was ranked #191 and Olly #246 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Ciaran was ranked #216 and Olly #305 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Ciaran was ranked #372 and Olly #676 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Ciaran was ranked #800 and Olly #622 among boys in England and Wales.
Ciaran and Olly over time
Ciaran and Olly appear together in 3 published lists, across 57 years of shared records. Ciaran held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Olly 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 3 of those lists, and Olly 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 2010, Olly moved ahead of Ciaran in England and Wales · Boys — #238 and #323 the year before became #280 and #113.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys25 shared years, 1999–2024
Ciaran held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Olly in 15.
Highest recorded here: Ciaran #107 in 2004, Olly #106 in 2012.
The order changed in 2010: Olly moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #238 and #323; by 2010 that had become #280 and #113.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ciaran #800, Olly #622.
Northern Ireland · Boys16 shared years, 2009–2024
Ciaran held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Olly in 1.
Highest recorded here: Ciaran #62 in 2009, Olly #91 in 2012.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ciaran #216, Olly #305.
Republic of Ireland · Boys16 shared years, 2009–2025
Ciaran held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Olly in 5.
Highest recorded here: Ciaran #53 in 2010, Olly #188 in 2019.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ciaran #372, Olly #676.
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 | Olly |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 2 |
| 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 |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #372 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #676 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 95/100 |
| 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')); Olly does not have one recorded yet.
- Ciaran and Olly both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Ciaran; Olly 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 Olly 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
Olly
Popularity journey
First recorded1999
First recorded at #2097 among boys in England and Wales in 1999 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Boys
Highest recorded2009–2024
Highest recorded position: #91 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2012 (recorded 2009–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #676 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys