Cieran vs Daniel
Cieran 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 2009, Cieran was ranked #701 and Daniel #3 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2021, Cieran was ranked #4789 and Daniel #54 among boys in England and Wales.
Cieran and Daniel over time
Cieran and Daniel appear together in 2 published lists, across 33 years of shared records. Daniel held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Cieran in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.
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.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys21 shared years, 1996–2021
Cieran held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Daniel in 21.
Highest recorded here: Cieran #479 in 2003, Daniel #2 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Cieran #4789, Daniel #54.
Republic of Ireland · Boys12 shared years, 1964–2009
Cieran held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Daniel in 12.
Highest recorded here: Cieran #170 in 1965, Daniel #3 in 2009.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2009: Cieran #701, Daniel #3.
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 | Cieran | 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 | GB-ENW, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Boys #4789 (2021) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #13 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 60/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Daniel has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Cieran does not have one recorded yet.
- Cieran and Daniel both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Daniel; Cieran doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE.
How each name got here
Cieran
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #214 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 recorded1964–2009
Highest recorded position: #170 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1965 (recorded 1964–2009).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2021
Most recently recorded at #4789 among boys in England and Wales, in 2021.
England and Wales · 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