Daniel vs Joseph
Daniel and Josephcompared 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 Joseph #64 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Daniel was ranked #64 and Joseph #33 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Daniel was ranked #37 and Joseph #34 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Daniel was ranked #52 and Joseph #82 among boys in Scotland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Daniel was ranked #53 and Joseph #69 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Daniel was ranked #59 and Joseph #56 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Daniel was ranked #66 and Joseph #465 among boys in Norway.
Daniel and Joseph over time
Daniel and Joseph appear together in 6 published lists, across 331 years of shared records. Daniel held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Joseph in 0.
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.
Daniel reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Joseph in 2. 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 2022, Daniel moved ahead of Joseph in New Zealand · Boys — #49 and #46 the year before became #52 and #61.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Daniel and Joseph changed places 4 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1952 and 2025, ending at #64 and #33.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Daniel and Joseph averaged 4.9 places apart, ending at #59 and #56.
- Longest-running competitions
Daniel and Joseph were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 74 years, from 1952 to 2025, ending at #64 and #33.
List by list
New South Wales, Australia · Boys74 shared years, 1952–2025
Daniel held the stronger position in 56 of those years, Joseph in 18.
Highest recorded here: Daniel #2 in 1979, Joseph #32 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Daniel #64, Joseph #33.
New Zealand · Boys69 shared years, 1954–2023
Daniel held the stronger position in 56 of those years, Joseph in 13.
Highest recorded here: Daniel #1 in 1980, Joseph #18 in 1988.
The order changed in 2022: Daniel moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #49 and #46; by 2022 that had become #52 and #61.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Daniel #53, Joseph #69.
Norway · Boys69 shared years, 1949–2025
Daniel held the stronger position in 69 of those years, Joseph in 0.
Highest recorded here: Daniel #3 in 1989, Joseph #272 in 1985.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Daniel #66, Joseph #465.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Daniel held the stronger position in 44 of those years, Joseph in 18.
Highest recorded here: Daniel #3 in 2009, Joseph #11 in 1964.
The order changed in 1983: Daniel moved ahead. In 1982 they stood at #26 and #21; by 1983 that had become #16 and #18.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Daniel #13, Joseph #64.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Daniel held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Joseph in 12.
Highest recorded here: Daniel #2 in 1996, Joseph #7 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Daniel #59, Joseph #56.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Daniel held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Joseph in 1.
Highest recorded here: Daniel #2 in 2010, Joseph #22 in 2013.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Daniel #37, Joseph #34.
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 | Joseph |
|---|---|---|
| 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 #33 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Daniel has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Joseph does not have one recorded yet.
- Daniel and Joseph both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Daniel; Joseph 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
Joseph
Popularity journey
First recorded1949
First recorded at #326 among boys in Norway in 1949 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in England and Wales, in 2000 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #33 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys