Daniel vs Martin
Daniel and Martincompared 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 1992, Daniel was ranked #2 and Martin #99 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1992, Daniel was ranked #3 and Martin #97 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Daniel was ranked #13 and Martin #102 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Daniel was ranked #37 and Martin #216 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Daniel was ranked #52 and Martin #352 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Daniel was ranked #59 and Martin #346 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Daniel was ranked #66 and Martin #69 among boys in Norway.
Daniel and Martin over time
Daniel and Martin appear together in 6 published lists, across 272 years of shared records. Daniel held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Martin in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Martin reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Daniel in 1. 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 1968, Daniel moved ahead of Martin in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #45 and #41 the year before became #41 and #44.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Daniel and Martin changed places 17 times in Norway · Boys between 1945 and 2025, ending at #66 and #69.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 41 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Daniel and Martin averaged 39.2 places apart, ending at #3 and #97.
- Mirrored each other
Over 31 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Daniel rose about as far as Martin fell — from #96 and #58 in 1954 to #2 and #99 in 1992.
- Longest-running competitions
Daniel and Martin were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 41 years, from 1952 to 1992, ending at #3 and #97.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Daniel #2 in 1996, Martin #109 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Boys81 shared years, 1945–2025
Daniel held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Martin in 55.
Highest recorded here: Daniel #3 in 1989, Martin #1 in 1992.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Daniel #66, Martin #69.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Daniel held the stronger position in 43 of those years, Martin in 19.
Highest recorded here: Daniel #3 in 2009, Martin #9 in 1964.
The order changed in 1983: Daniel moved ahead. In 1982 they stood at #26 and #15; by 1983 that had become #16 and #21.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Daniel #13, Martin #102.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys41 shared years, 1952–1992
Daniel held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Martin in 14.
Highest recorded here: Daniel #2 in 1979, Martin #41 in 1967.
The order changed in 1968: Daniel moved ahead. In 1967 they stood at #45 and #41; by 1968 that had become #41 and #44.
Most recent shared year, 1992: Daniel #3, Martin #97.
New Zealand · Boys31 shared years, 1954–1992
Daniel held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Martin in 16.
Highest recorded here: Daniel #1 in 1980, Martin #34 in 1963.
The order changed in 1971: Daniel moved ahead. In 1970 they stood at #46 and #43; by 1971 that had become #41 and #50.
Most recent shared year, 1992: Daniel #2, Martin #99.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Daniel held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Martin in 0.
Highest recorded here: Daniel #2 in 1996, Martin #109 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Daniel #59, Martin #346.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Daniel held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Martin in 0.
Highest recorded here: Daniel #2 in 2010, Martin #49 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Daniel #37, Martin #216.
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 | Martin |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'God is my judge', referencing the biblical prophet Daniel. | From the Roman name Martinus, connected to Mars, the Roman god of war. Widely known through Saint Martin of Tours, a 4th-century bishop and patron saint of France. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Latin (Ancient Roman) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdænjəl/ | /ˈmɑɹ.tɪn/ |
| 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) | Norway · Boys #69 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| 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 is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Martin is recorded with a Latin (Ancient Roman) origin.
- Daniel and Martin both have 2 syllables.
- Daniel's recorded meaning differs from Martin'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
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
Martin
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #83 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Norway, in 1992 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #69 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys