Namewise

Dalton vs Derek

Dalton and Derekcompared 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 2025, Dalton was ranked #676 and Derek #432 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Dalton was ranked #468 and Derek #1108 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Dalton was ranked #619 and Derek #727 among boys in Scotland.

Dalton and Derek over time

Dalton and Derek appear together in 1 published list, across 29 years of shared records. Dalton held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Derek 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.

Derek reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Dalton 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.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Dalton #386 in 1997, Derek #464 in 1996.

List by list

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 19962024

    Dalton held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Derek in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Dalton #386 in 1997, Derek #464 in 1996.

    The order changed in 1997: Dalton moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #535 and #464; by 1997 that had become #386 and #809.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Dalton #468, Derek #1108.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Dalton, Derek
FieldDaltonDerek
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
PronunciationNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IEGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #676 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #432 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Dalton and Derek both have 2 syllables.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.

How each name got here

Dalton

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1972

    First recorded at #307 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1972 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  2. Highest recorded2015–2024

    Highest recorded position: #279 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2017 (recorded 2015–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #676 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

Derek

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1954

    First recorded at #89 among boys in New Zealand in 1954 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New Zealand · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #22 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1972 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #432 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys