Daniel vs Hugo
Daniel and Hugocompared 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, Daniel was ranked #13 and Hugo #42 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Daniel was ranked #64 and Hugo #18 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Daniel was ranked #53 and Hugo #23 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Daniel was ranked #37 and Hugo #81 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Daniel was ranked #59 and Hugo #46 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Daniel was ranked #52 and Hugo #135 among boys in Scotland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Daniel was ranked #66 and Hugo #101 among boys in Norway.
Daniel and Hugo over time
Daniel and Hugo appear together in 6 published lists, across 208 years of shared records. Daniel held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Hugo in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Daniel reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 6 of those lists, and Hugo 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 took the other's place near the top
In England and Wales · Boys, Hugo moved into the top 50 at #45 in 2021 as Daniel fell out of it to #54, having been #50 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2021, Hugo moved ahead of Daniel in England and Wales · Boys — #50 and #51 the year before became #54 and #45.
- Longest-running competitions
Daniel and Hugo were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 79 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #66 and #101.
List by list
Norway · Boys79 shared years, 1945–2025
Daniel held the stronger position in 53 of those years, Hugo in 26.
Highest recorded here: Daniel #3 in 1989, Hugo #101 in 2025.
The order changed in 1971: Daniel moved ahead. In 1970 they stood at #178 and #176; by 1971 that had become #160 and #188.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Daniel #66, Hugo #101.
Republic of Ireland · Boys49 shared years, 1969–2025
Daniel held the stronger position in 49 of those years, Hugo in 0.
Highest recorded here: Daniel #3 in 2009, Hugo #42 in 2025.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Daniel #13, Hugo #42.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Daniel held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Hugo in 4.
Highest recorded here: Daniel #2 in 1996, Hugo #45 in 2021.
The order changed in 2021: Hugo moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #50 and #51; by 2021 that had become #54 and #45.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Daniel #59, Hugo #46.
Northern Ireland · Boys21 shared years, 2000–2024
Daniel held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Hugo in 0.
Highest recorded here: Daniel #2 in 2010, Hugo #67 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Daniel #37, Hugo #81.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys17 shared years, 2009–2025
Daniel held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Hugo in 8.
Highest recorded here: Daniel #15 in 2009, Hugo #18 in 2025.
The order changed in 2020: Hugo moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #38 and #39; by 2020 that had become #47 and #33.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Daniel #64, Hugo #18.
New Zealand · Boys13 shared years, 2009–2023
Daniel held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Hugo in 6.
Highest recorded here: Daniel #9 in 2009, Hugo #23 in 2023.
The order changed in 2018: Hugo moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #31 and #47; by 2018 that had become #48 and #39.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Daniel #53, Hugo #23.
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 | Daniel | Hugo |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'God is my judge', referencing the biblical prophet Daniel. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdænjəl/ | |
| 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 #13 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #18 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Daniel has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Hugo does not have one recorded yet.
- Daniel and Hugo both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Daniel; Hugo 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
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
Hugo
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #186 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded2009–2025
Highest recorded position: #18 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025 (recorded 2009–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #18 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys