Namewise

Darragh vs Nathan

Darragh and Nathancompared 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 Nathan #71 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Darragh was ranked #51 and Nathan #118 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Darragh was ranked #218 and Nathan #62 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Darragh was ranked #1402 and Nathan #88 among boys in England and Wales.

Darragh and Nathan over time

Darragh and Nathan appear together in 3 published lists, across 111 years of shared records. Nathan held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Darragh in 1.

The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Nathan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Darragh 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 took the other's place near the top

    In Northern Ireland · Boys, Darragh moved into the top 50 at #31 in 2015 as Nathan fell out of it to #51, having been #37 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 2015, Darragh moved ahead of Nathan in Northern Ireland · Boys — #39 and #37 the year before became #31 and #51.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Boys, Darragh and Nathan averaged 39.3 places apart, ending at #51 and #118.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Darragh and Nathan were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 54 years, from 1968 to 2025, ending at #19 and #71.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys54 shared years, 19682025

    Darragh held the stronger position in 53 of those years, Nathan in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Darragh #11 in 2019, Nathan #26 in 1999.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Darragh #19, Nathan #71.

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 19962024

    Darragh held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Nathan in 29.

    Highest recorded here: Darragh #522 in 1997, Nathan #24 in 2002.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Darragh #1402, Nathan #88.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 19972024

    Darragh held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Nathan in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Darragh #20 in 2021, Nathan #15 in 2000.

    The order changed in 2015: Darragh moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #39 and #37; by 2015 that had become #31 and #51.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Darragh #51, Nathan #118.

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 Darragh, Nathan
FieldDarraghNathan
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedCommonly interpreted as 'he gave' or 'he has given'.
OriginNot yet recordedBiblical Hebrew
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˈneɪθən/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IEAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #19 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #71 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)74/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Nathan has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Darragh does not have one recorded yet.
  • Darragh and Nathan both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Nathan; Darragh doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.

How each name got here

Darragh

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1965–2025

    Highest recorded position: #11 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2019 (recorded 1965–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #19 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

Nathan

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1968

    First recorded at #267 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1968 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1969–2018

    Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1981 (recorded 1969–2018).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #344 among boys in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Boys