Daniel vs Karl
Daniel and Karlcompared 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 Zealand · Boys
In 1994, Daniel was ranked #2 and Karl #98 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1974, Daniel was ranked #8 and Karl #100 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Daniel was ranked #13 and Karl #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Daniel was ranked #14 and Karl #414 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Daniel was ranked #59 and Karl #2088 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Daniel was ranked #66 and Karl #179 among boys in Norway.
Daniel and Karl over time
Daniel and Karl appear together in 5 published lists, across 226 years of shared records. Daniel held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Karl in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Karl reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Daniel 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 moved ahead of the other
In 1974, Daniel moved ahead of Karl in Norway · Boys — #106 and #78 the year before became #64 and #94.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 33 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Daniel and Karl averaged 37.5 places apart, ending at #2 and #98.
- Longest-running competitions
Daniel and Karl were both ranked in New Zealand · Boys for 33 years, from 1962 to 1994, ending at #2 and #98.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Daniel #2 in 1996, Karl #110 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Boys81 shared years, 1945–2025
Daniel held the stronger position in 52 of those years, Karl in 29.
Highest recorded here: Daniel #3 in 1989, Karl #33 in 1946.
The order changed in 1974: Daniel moved ahead. In 1973 they stood at #106 and #78; by 1974 that had become #64 and #94.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Daniel #66, Karl #179.
Republic of Ireland · Boys60 shared years, 1964–2025
Daniel held the stronger position in 60 of those years, Karl in 0.
Highest recorded here: Daniel #3 in 2009, Karl #47 in 1989.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Daniel #13, Karl #829.
New Zealand · Boys33 shared years, 1962–1994
Daniel held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Karl in 1.
Highest recorded here: Daniel #1 in 1980, Karl #33 in 1973.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1994: Daniel #2, Karl #98.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Daniel held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Karl in 0.
Highest recorded here: Daniel #2 in 1996, Karl #110 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Daniel #59, Karl #2088.
Northern Ireland · Boys23 shared years, 1997–2022
Daniel held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Karl in 0.
Highest recorded here: Daniel #2 in 2010, Karl #93 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Daniel #14, Karl #414.
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 | Karl |
|---|---|---|
| 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/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| 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, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #13 (2025) | Norway · Boys #179 (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); Karl does not have one recorded yet.
- Daniel has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Karl.
- A meaning is recorded for Daniel; Karl doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, 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
Karl
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #35 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1962–1994
Highest recorded position: #33 among boys in New Zealand, in 1973 (recorded 1962–1994).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #179 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys