Damian vs Roman
Damian and Romancompared 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.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Damian was ranked #271 and Roman #32 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Damian was ranked #432 and Roman #46 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2020, Damian was ranked #304 and Roman #139 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Damian was ranked #223 and Roman #179 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Damian was ranked #339 and Roman #438 among boys in Norway.
Damian and Roman over time
Damian and Roman appear together in 3 published lists, across 87 years of shared records. Damian held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Roman in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Roman reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Damian in 1. 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 2020, Roman moved ahead of Damian in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #244 and #322 the year before became #211 and #172.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Damian and Roman changed places 5 times in Norway · Boys between 1968 and 2025, ending at #339 and #438.
- Longest-running competitions
Damian and Roman were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 36 years, from 1968 to 2025, ending at #339 and #438.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Damian #253 in 2023, Roman #23 in 2021.
List by list
Norway · Boys36 shared years, 1968–2025
Damian held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Roman in 10.
Highest recorded here: Damian #149 in 1985, Roman #196 in 1979.
The order changed in 2016: Damian moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #453 and #441; by 2016 that had become #298 and #468.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Damian #339, Roman #438.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Damian held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Roman in 23.
Highest recorded here: Damian #253 in 2023, Roman #23 in 2021.
The order changed in 2003: Roman moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #303 and #411; by 2003 that had become #360 and #241.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Damian #271, Roman #32.
Republic of Ireland · Boys22 shared years, 2001–2025
Damian held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Roman in 7.
Highest recorded here: Damian #193 in 2021, Roman #134 in 2024.
The order changed in 2020: Roman moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #244 and #322; by 2020 that had become #211 and #172.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Damian #223, Roman #179.
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 | Damian | Roman |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | From the Latin Romanus, meaning 'Roman' — borne by several early saints and medieval rulers of Bulgaria, Kyiv and Moldavia. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Latin, widely used across Slavic and Germanic languages |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈro.man/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #223 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #50 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Roman has a recorded origin (Latin, widely used across Slavic and Germanic languages); Damian does not have one recorded yet.
- Damian and Roman both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Roman; Damian doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Damian
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #73 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: #46 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1969 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #339 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys
Roman
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #333 among boys in Norway in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #23 among boys in England and Wales, in 2021 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #50 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys