Craig vs Daniel
Craig 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.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1991, Craig was ranked #97 and Daniel #2 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1992, Craig was ranked #90 and Daniel #2 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2015, Craig was ranked #415 and Daniel #5 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2023, Craig was ranked #516 and Daniel #10 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Craig was ranked #478 and Daniel #52 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Craig was ranked #2263 and Daniel #59 among boys in England and Wales.
Craig and Daniel over time
Craig and Daniel appear together in 5 published lists, across 182 years of shared records. Daniel held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Craig in 1.
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.
Craig reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Daniel 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 1974, Daniel moved ahead of Craig in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #13 and #14 the year before became #14 and #8.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 39 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Craig and Daniel averaged 32.9 places apart, ending at #97 and #2.
- Longest-running competitions
Craig and Daniel were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 39 years, from 1953 to 1991, ending at #97 and #2.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Craig #81 in 1996, Daniel #2 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys59 shared years, 1964–2023
Craig held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Daniel in 59.
Highest recorded here: Craig #39 in 1990, Daniel #3 in 2009.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Craig #516, Daniel #10.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys39 shared years, 1953–1991
Craig held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Daniel in 18.
Highest recorded here: Craig #8 in 1969, Daniel #2 in 1979.
The order changed in 1974: Daniel moved ahead. In 1973 they stood at #13 and #14; by 1974 that had become #14 and #8.
Most recent shared year, 1991: Craig #97, Daniel #2.
New Zealand · Boys38 shared years, 1954–1992
Craig held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Daniel in 19.
Highest recorded here: Craig #6 in 1971, Daniel #1 in 1980.
The order changed in 1974: Daniel moved ahead. In 1973 they stood at #7 and #17; by 1974 that had become #9 and #8.
Most recent shared year, 1992: Craig #90, Daniel #2.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Craig held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Daniel in 29.
Highest recorded here: Craig #81 in 1996, Daniel #2 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Craig #2263, Daniel #59.
Northern Ireland · Boys17 shared years, 1997–2015
Craig held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Daniel in 17.
Highest recorded here: Craig #68 in 1997, Daniel #3 in 2008.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2015: Craig #415, Daniel #5.
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 | Craig | Daniel |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | From the Scottish surname derived from Gaelic 'creag', meaning 'crag, rocks, outcrop' — originally denoting someone who lived near a crag. | Commonly interpreted as 'God is my judge', referencing the biblical prophet Daniel. |
| Origin | Scottish Gaelic (surname origin) | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈkɹeɪɡ/ | /ˈdænjəl/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Scotland · Boys #478 (2024) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #13 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Craig is recorded with a Scottish Gaelic (surname origin) origin, while Daniel is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Craig has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Daniel.
- Craig's recorded meaning differs from Daniel's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Craig
Popularity journey
First recorded1953
First recorded at #79 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1953 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1992
Highest recorded position: #6 among boys in New Zealand, in 1971 (recorded 1954–1992).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2263 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
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