Darragh vs Malachy
Darragh and Malachycompared 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, Darragh was ranked #19 and Malachy #372 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Darragh was ranked #51 and Malachy #216 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Darragh was ranked #1402 and Malachy #1132 among boys in England and Wales.
Darragh and Malachy over time
Darragh and Malachy appear together in 3 published lists, across 113 years of shared records. Darragh held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Malachy in 1.
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.
Darragh reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Malachy 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 1969, Darragh moved ahead of Malachy in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #127 and #123 the year before became #125 and #174.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Darragh and Malachy changed places 7 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2024, ending at #1402 and #1132.
- Longest-running competitions
Darragh and Malachy were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 58 years, from 1965 to 2025, ending at #19 and #372.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Darragh #20 in 2021, Malachy #153 in 2023.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys58 shared years, 1965–2025
Darragh held the stronger position in 54 of those years, Malachy in 4.
Highest recorded here: Darragh #11 in 2019, Malachy #123 in 1968.
The order changed in 1969: Darragh moved ahead. In 1968 they stood at #127 and #123; by 1969 that had become #125 and #174.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Darragh #19, Malachy #372.
England and Wales · Boys28 shared years, 1996–2024
Darragh held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Malachy in 18.
Highest recorded here: Darragh #522 in 1997, Malachy #401 in 2005.
The order changed in 2024: Malachy moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #987 and #1533; by 2024 that had become #1402 and #1132.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Darragh #1402, Malachy #1132.
Northern Ireland · Boys27 shared years, 1997–2024
Darragh held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Malachy in 0.
Highest recorded here: Darragh #20 in 2021, Malachy #153 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Darragh #51, Malachy #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 | Darragh | Malachy |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #19 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #372 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 74/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Darragh has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Malachy.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
Darragh
Popularity journey
First recorded1965
First recorded at #222 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1965–2025
Highest recorded position: #11 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2019 (recorded 1965–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #19 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Malachy
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #129 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #123 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1968 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #372 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys