Cieran vs Denis
Cieran and Deniscompared 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 Denis #159 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2021, Cieran was ranked #4789 and Denis #337 among boys in England and Wales.
Cieran and Denis over time
Cieran and Denis appear together in 2 published lists, across 33 years of shared records. Denis held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Cieran in 0.
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.
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.
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.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Cieran #170 in 1965, Denis #21 in 1964.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys21 shared years, 1996–2021
Cieran held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Denis in 13.
Highest recorded here: Cieran #479 in 2003, Denis #337 in 2021.
The order changed in 2005: Denis moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #500 and #599; by 2005 that had become #726 and #506.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Cieran #4789, Denis #337.
Republic of Ireland · Boys12 shared years, 1964–2009
Cieran held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Denis in 12.
Highest recorded here: Cieran #170 in 1965, Denis #21 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2009: Cieran #701, Denis #159.
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 | Denis |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Boys #4789 (2021) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 60/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Cieran and Denis both have 2 syllables.
- 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
Denis
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #65 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #21 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys