Darragh vs Sean
Darragh and Seancompared 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 Sean #141 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Darragh was ranked #51 and Sean #48 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Darragh was ranked #218 and Sean #234 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Darragh was ranked #1402 and Sean #638 among boys in England and Wales.
Darragh and Sean over time
Darragh and Sean appear together in 3 published lists, across 118 years of shared records. Sean held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Darragh in 0.
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.
Sean reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Darragh 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 took the other's place near the top
In Republic of Ireland · Boys, Darragh moved into the top 50 at #21 in 2018 as Sean fell out of it to #74, having been #5 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2018, Darragh moved ahead of Sean in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #17 and #5 the year before became #21 and #74.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Darragh and Sean changed places 6 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2024, ending at #51 and #48.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Boys, Darragh and Sean averaged 29.9 places apart, ending at #51 and #48.
- Longest-running competitions
Darragh and Sean were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 61 years, from 1965 to 2025, ending at #19 and #141.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Darragh #522 in 1997, Sean #49 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys61 shared years, 1965–2025
Darragh held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Sean in 53.
Highest recorded here: Darragh #11 in 2019, Sean #1 in 1997.
The order changed in 2018: Darragh moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #17 and #5; by 2018 that had become #21 and #74.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Darragh #19, Sean #141.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Darragh held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sean in 29.
Highest recorded here: Darragh #522 in 1997, Sean #49 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Darragh #1402, Sean #638.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Darragh held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Sean in 21.
Highest recorded here: Darragh #20 in 2021, Sean #13 in 2001.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Darragh #51, Sean #48.
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 | Sean |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | The Irish form of John, ultimately carrying the meaning 'Yahweh is gracious' via its Hebrew ancestry. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Irish, Anglicised form of Sean, via Hebrew John |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ʃɔːn/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #19 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #141 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 74/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Sean has a recorded origin (Irish, Anglicised form of Sean, via Hebrew John); Darragh does not have one recorded yet.
- Darragh has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Sean.
- A meaning is recorded for Sean; 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
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
Sean
Popularity journey
First recorded1963
First recorded at #82 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1963 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1997 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #141 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys