Namewise

Daniel vs Mark

Daniel and Markcompared 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 2001, Daniel was ranked #6 and Mark #90 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2000, Daniel was ranked #7 and Mark #89 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Daniel was ranked #13 and Mark #99 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Daniel was ranked #37 and Mark #177 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Daniel was ranked #52 and Mark #169 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Daniel was ranked #59 and Mark #277 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, Daniel was ranked #66 and Mark #286 among boys in Norway.

Daniel and Mark over time

Daniel and Mark appear together in 6 published lists, across 288 years of shared records. Daniel held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Mark 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.

Mark reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 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 1975, Daniel moved ahead of Mark in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #8 and #6 the year before became #4 and #8.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Daniel and Mark changed places 6 times in Norway · Boys between 1950 and 2025, ending at #66 and #286.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 50 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Daniel and Mark averaged 38.7 places apart, ending at #6 and #90.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Daniel and Mark were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 50 years, from 1952 to 2001, ending at #6 and #90.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Daniel #2 in 1996, Mark #55 in 1996.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys74 shared years, 19502025

    Daniel held the stronger position in 70 of those years, Mark in 4.

    Highest recorded here: Daniel #3 in 1989, Mark #211 in 1970.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Daniel #66, Mark #286.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 19642025

    Daniel held the stronger position in 36 of those years, Mark in 26.

    Highest recorded here: Daniel #3 in 2009, Mark #7 in 1974.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Daniel #13, Mark #99.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys50 shared years, 19522001

    Daniel held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Mark in 23.

    Highest recorded here: Daniel #2 in 1979, Mark #2 in 1960.

    The order changed in 1975: Daniel moved ahead. In 1974 they stood at #8 and #6; by 1975 that had become #4 and #8.

    Most recent shared year, 2001: Daniel #6, Mark #90.

  • New Zealand · Boys45 shared years, 19542000

    Daniel held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Mark in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Daniel #1 in 1980, Mark #2 in 1974.

    The order changed in 1976: Daniel moved ahead. In 1975 they stood at #6 and #4; by 1976 that had become #2 and #6.

    Most recent shared year, 2000: Daniel #7, Mark #89.

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 19962024

    Daniel held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Mark in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Daniel #2 in 1996, Mark #55 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Daniel #59, Mark #277.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 19972024

    Daniel held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Mark in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Daniel #2 in 2010, Mark #12 in 1999.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Daniel #37, Mark #177.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Daniel, Mark
FieldDanielMark
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningCommonly interpreted as 'God is my judge', referencing the biblical prophet Daniel.A form of the Latin name Marcus used in several languages. Saint Mark authored the second Gospel and is patron saint of Venice.
OriginBiblical HebrewLatin
Pronunciation/ˈdænjəl//ˈmɑɹk/
Syllables21
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)Republic of Ireland · Boys #99 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Daniel is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Mark is recorded with a Latin origin.
  • Daniel has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Mark.
  • Daniel's recorded meaning differs from Mark's — see the table above for each.
  • 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 #64 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

Mark

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1950

    First recorded at #362 among boys in Norway in 1950 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1952–2001

    Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1960 (recorded 1952–2001).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #286 among boys in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Boys