Danny vs Sam
Danny and Samcompared 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, Danny was ranked #76 and Sam #50 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1990, Danny was ranked #97 and Sam #70 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Danny was ranked #78 and Sam #187 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Danny was ranked #234 and Sam #127 among boys in Scotland.
Norway · Boys
In 2017, Danny was ranked #498 and Sam #250 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Danny was ranked #514 and Sam #334 among boys in England and Wales.
Danny and Sam over time
Danny and Sam appear together in 4 published lists, across 128 years of shared records. Sam held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Danny 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.
Sam reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Danny 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 2019, Danny moved ahead of Sam in Northern Ireland · Boys — #100 and #100 the year before became #81 and #94.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Danny and Sam changed places 10 times in Norway · Boys between 1964 and 2017, ending at #498 and #250.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 43 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Danny and Sam averaged 56.3 places apart, ending at #76 and #50.
- Mirrored each other
Over 27 shared years in Northern Ireland · Boys, Danny rose about as far as Sam fell — from #192 and #100 in 1997 to #78 and #187 in 2024.
- Longest-running competitions
Danny and Sam were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 43 years, from 1983 to 2025, ending at #76 and #50.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Danny #98 in 1996, Sam #47 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys43 shared years, 1983–2025
Danny held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Sam in 36.
Highest recorded here: Danny #41 in 2021, Sam #38 in 2015.
The order changed in 1990: Sam moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #215 and #232; by 1990 that had become #256 and #155.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Danny #76, Sam #50.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Danny held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sam in 29.
Highest recorded here: Danny #98 in 1996, Sam #47 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Danny #514, Sam #334.
Norway · Boys29 shared years, 1964–2017
Danny held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Sam in 23.
Highest recorded here: Danny #359 in 2012, Sam #248 in 2014.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2017: Danny #498, Sam #250.
Northern Ireland · Boys27 shared years, 1997–2024
Danny held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Sam in 19.
Highest recorded here: Danny #67 in 2015, Sam #44 in 2005.
The order changed in 2019: Danny moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #100 and #100; by 2019 that had become #81 and #94.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Danny #78, Sam #187.
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 | Danny | Sam |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | 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 | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #76 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #50 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Danny has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Sam.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.
How each name got here
Danny
Popularity journey
First recorded1960
First recorded at #95 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1960 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1970–2025
Highest recorded position: #41 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2021 (recorded 1970–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #76 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Sam
Popularity journey
First recorded1959
First recorded at #340 among boys in Norway in 1959 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1983–2025
Highest recorded position: #38 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2015 (recorded 1983–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #289 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys