Daniel vs Robert
Daniel and Robertcompared 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 2003, Daniel was ranked #7 and Robert #95 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2012, Daniel was ranked #13 and Robert #80 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Daniel was ranked #13 and Robert #104 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Daniel was ranked #37 and Robert #93 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Daniel was ranked #52 and Robert #80 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Daniel was ranked #59 and Robert #151 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Daniel was ranked #66 and Robert #363 among boys in Norway.
Daniel and Robert over time
Daniel and Robert appear together in 6 published lists, across 309 years of shared records. Daniel held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Robert in 0.
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.
Robert 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 1974, Daniel moved ahead of Robert in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #14 and #12 the year before became #8 and #13.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Daniel and Robert changed places 6 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2025, ending at #13 and #104.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 52 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Daniel and Robert averaged 39.1 places apart, ending at #7 and #95.
- Longest-running competitions
Daniel and Robert were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 52 years, from 1952 to 2003, ending at #7 and #95.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Daniel #2 in 1996, Robert #30 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Boys81 shared years, 1945–2025
Daniel held the stronger position in 48 of those years, Robert in 33.
Highest recorded here: Daniel #3 in 1989, Robert #25 in 1974.
The order changed in 1978: Daniel moved ahead. In 1977 they stood at #41 and #27; by 1978 that had become #36 and #37.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Daniel #66, Robert #363.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Daniel held the stronger position in 42 of those years, Robert in 20.
Highest recorded here: Daniel #3 in 2009, Robert #12 in 1978.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Daniel #13, Robert #104.
New Zealand · Boys57 shared years, 1954–2012
Daniel held the stronger position in 38 of those years, Robert in 19.
Highest recorded here: Daniel #1 in 1980, Robert #5 in 1954.
The order changed in 1974: Daniel moved ahead. In 1973 they stood at #17 and #12; by 1974 that had become #8 and #14.
Most recent shared year, 2012: Daniel #13, Robert #80.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys52 shared years, 1952–2003
Daniel held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Robert in 22.
Highest recorded here: Daniel #2 in 1979, Robert #3 in 1952.
The order changed in 1974: Daniel moved ahead. In 1973 they stood at #14 and #12; by 1974 that had become #8 and #13.
Most recent shared year, 2003: Daniel #7, Robert #95.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Daniel held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Robert in 0.
Highest recorded here: Daniel #2 in 1996, Robert #30 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Daniel #59, Robert #151.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Daniel held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Robert in 0.
Highest recorded here: Daniel #2 in 2010, Robert #35 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Daniel #37, Robert #93.
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 | Robert |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Germanic Hrodebert, combining 'hruod' (fame) with 'beraht' (bright) — 'bright fame'. Introduced to Britain by the Normans, later borne by Robert the Bruce. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Germanic |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdænjəl/ | /ˈɹɑb.əɹt/ |
| 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) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #104 (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 Robert is recorded with a Germanic origin.
- Daniel and Robert both have 2 syllables.
- Daniel's recorded meaning differs from Robert'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
Robert
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #126 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2003
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–2003).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #363 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys