Damien vs Darren
Damien and Darrencompared 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 1989, Damien was ranked #75 and Darren #85 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2023, Damien was ranked #395 and Darren #395 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Damien was ranked #468 and Darren #676 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Damien was ranked #619 and Darren #535 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2025, Damien was ranked #745 and Darren #1066 among boys in England and Wales.
Damien and Darren over time
Damien and Darren appear together in 4 published lists, across 130 years of shared records. Darren held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Damien 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.
Darren reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Damien 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 1989, Damien moved ahead of Darren in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #84 and #80 the year before became #75 and #85.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Damien and Darren changed places 5 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2025, ending at #745 and #1066.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 21 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Damien and Darren averaged 18.9 places apart, ending at #75 and #85.
- Longest-running competitions
Damien and Darren were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #745 and #1066.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Damien #134 in 1999, Darren #52 in 1997.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys60 shared years, 1966–2025
Damien held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Darren in 55.
Highest recorded here: Damien #34 in 1982, Darren #18 in 1988.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Damien #468, Darren #676.
England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025
Damien held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Darren in 13.
Highest recorded here: Damien #280 in 2003, Darren #123 in 1996.
The order changed in 2017: Damien moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #698 and #641; by 2017 that had become #684 and #806.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Damien #745, Darren #1066.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys21 shared years, 1969–1989
Damien held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Darren in 12.
Highest recorded here: Damien #34 in 1974, Darren #13 in 1969.
The order changed in 1989: Damien moved ahead. In 1988 they stood at #84 and #80; by 1989 that had become #75 and #85.
Most recent shared year, 1989: Damien #75, Darren #85.
Northern Ireland · Boys19 shared years, 1997–2023
Damien held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Darren in 17.
Highest recorded here: Damien #134 in 1999, Darren #52 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Damien #395, Darren #395.
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 | Damien | Darren |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Exact meaning uncertain — may derive from a rare Irish surname, or be a variant of Darrell. Popularized in the late 1950s by actor Darren McGavin and in the 1960s by the character Darrin Stephens from Bewitched. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Uncertain (possibly Irish surname, or a variant of Darrell) |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈdæɹ.ən/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #468 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #676 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Darren has a recorded origin (Uncertain (possibly Irish surname, or a variant of Darrell)); Damien does not have one recorded yet.
- Damien and Darren both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Darren; Damien doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
How each name got here
Damien
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #75 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 recorded1969–1993
Highest recorded position: #34 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1974 (recorded 1969–1993).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #745 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys
Darren
Popularity journey
First recorded1960
First recorded at #83 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1960 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1960–1989
Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1966 (recorded 1960–1989).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #1066 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys