Cornelius vs Desmond
Cornelius and Desmondcompared 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 2023, Cornelius was ranked #770 and Desmond #660 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2025, Cornelius was ranked #3256 and Desmond #1307 among boys in England and Wales.
Cornelius and Desmond over time
Cornelius and Desmond appear together in 2 published lists, across 82 years of shared records. Desmond held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Cornelius in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Cornelius reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Desmond 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Cornelius and Desmond changed places 11 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2025, ending at #3256 and #1307.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 52 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Cornelius and Desmond averaged 48.2 places apart, ending at #770 and #660.
- Longest-running competitions
Cornelius and Desmond were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #3256 and #1307.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Cornelius #39 in 1964, Desmond #43 in 1964.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys52 shared years, 1964–2023
Cornelius held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Desmond in 34.
Highest recorded here: Cornelius #39 in 1964, Desmond #43 in 1964.
The order changed in 2006: Desmond moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #302 and #403; by 2006 that had become #384 and #271.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Cornelius #770, Desmond #660.
England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025
Cornelius held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Desmond in 22.
Highest recorded here: Cornelius #1498 in 2004, Desmond #1133 in 2009.
The order changed in 2020: Desmond moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #2728 and #3013; by 2020 that had become #2404 and #1825.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Cornelius #3256, Desmond #1307.
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 | Cornelius | Desmond |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, IE, NO | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Boys #232 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #402 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 70/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Cornelius has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Desmond.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE.
How each name got here
Cornelius
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #39 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 recorded1964–2023
Highest recorded position: #39 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2023).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #3256 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys
Desmond
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #78 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: #43 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #1307 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys