Namewise

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 2025, Daniel was ranked #62 and Joseph #59 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 332 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 30 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Daniel and Joseph averaged 4.8 places apart, ending at #62 and #59.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Daniel and Joseph were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #62 and #59.

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 · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Daniel held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Joseph in 13.

    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, 2025: Daniel #62, Joseph #59.

  • 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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Daniel

Pairs where Daniel shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Joseph

Pairs where Joseph shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — closest over the longest run.

All closest over the longest run→

Other pairs from England and Wales lists

Pairs measured inside England and Wales's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

England and Wales overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Daniel, Joseph
FieldDanielJoseph
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningCommonly interpreted as 'God is my judge', referencing the biblical prophet Daniel.Not yet recorded
OriginBiblical HebrewNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈdænjəl/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #13 (2025)New South Wales, Australia · Boys #33 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

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

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1954–2023

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New Zealand, in 1980 (recorded 1954–2023).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #62 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Joseph

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in England and Wales, in 2000 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #59 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys