Colin vs Ultan

Colin and Ultancompared 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.

Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2021, Colin was ranked #433 and Ultan #249 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Colin was ranked #348 and Ultan #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2021, Colin was ranked #888 and Ultan #4789 among boys in England and Wales.

Colin and Ultan over time

Colin and Ultan appear together in 2 published lists, across 76 years of shared records. Colin held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Ultan 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.

Longest-running competitions
Colin and Ultan were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 61 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #348 and #829.

List by list

Republic of Ireland · Boys61 shared years, 1964–2025
Colin held the stronger position in 60 of those years, Ultan in 1.
Highest recorded here: Colin #38 in 1985, Ultan #146 in 1969.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Colin #348, Ultan #829.
Northern Ireland · Boys15 shared years, 1999–2021
Colin held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Ultan in 3.
Highest recorded here: Colin #139 in 2001, Ultan #249 in 2021.
The order changed in 2013: Ultan moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #273 and #403; by 2013 that had become #398 and #271.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Colin #433, Ultan #249.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Colin

Pairs where Colin shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Colin vs Ronald
In 1964 they stood at #89 and #89 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 0 places apart; by 2012 they were #169 and #718.
Colin · Ronald · 34 shared years, 1964–2012 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2012 Republic of Ireland ranking
Gary vs Colin
In 1964 they stood at #84 and #89 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 5 places apart; by 2024 they were #785 and #302.
Gary · Colin · 60 shared years, 1964–2024 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2024 Republic of Ireland ranking
Oliver vs Colin
In 1997 they stood at #100 and #96 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 4 places apart; by 2021 they were #5 and #433.
Oliver · Colin · 21 shared years, 1997–2021 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2021 Northern Ireland ranking
Harry vs Colin
In 1997 they stood at #87 and #96 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 9 places apart; by 2021 they were #10 and #433.
Harry · Colin · 21 shared years, 1997–2021 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2021 Northern Ireland ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Colin, Ultan
Field	Colin	Ultan
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	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ	GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE
Most recent popularity observation	Norway · Boys #119 (2025)	Republic of Ireland · Boys #829 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	94/100	94/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	100/100	100/100
Data Confidence	medium	medium

What the data shows

Colin and Ultan both have 2 syllables.
Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.

How each name got here

Colin

Popularity journey

First recorded1946
First recorded at #326 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–1983
Highest recorded position: #22 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1983).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #119 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys

Ultan

Popularity journey

First recorded1964
First recorded at #181 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: #146 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1969 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys