Darran vs Jack
Darran and Jackcompared 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 1998, Darran was ranked #369 and Jack #3 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2017, Darran was ranked #4812 and Jack #5 among boys in England and Wales.
Darran and Jack over time
Darran and Jack appear together in 2 published lists, across 34 years of shared records. Jack held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Darran 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.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.
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 1985, Jack moved ahead of Darran in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #192 and #224 the year before became #202 and #170.
- Mirrored each other
Over 26 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Jack rose about as far as Darran fell — from #167 and #305 in 1970 to #369 and #3 in 1998.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys26 shared years, 1970–1998
Darran held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Jack in 14.
Highest recorded here: Darran #132 in 1983, Jack #3 in 1998.
The order changed in 1985: Jack moved ahead. In 1984 they stood at #192 and #224; by 1985 that had become #202 and #170.
Most recent shared year, 1998: Darran #369, Jack #3.
England and Wales · Boys8 shared years, 1996–2017
Darran held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jack in 8.
Highest recorded here: Darran #1345 in 1997, Jack #1 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2017: Darran #4812, Jack #5.
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 | Darran | Jack |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | God is gracious (via John), though now used as an independent name. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | English, historically a diminutive of John |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈdʒæk/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Jankin |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Boys #4812 (2017) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #2 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 60/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Jack has a recorded origin (English, historically a diminutive of John); Darran does not have one recorded yet.
- Darran has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Jack.
- A meaning is recorded for Jack; Darran doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE.
- The available evidence gives Darran a "medium" Data Confidence level and Jack a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Darran
Popularity journey
First recorded1969
First recorded at #291 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1969 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1969–1998
Highest recorded position: #132 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1983 (recorded 1969–1998).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2017
Most recently recorded at #4812 among boys in England and Wales, in 2017.
England and Wales · Boys
Jack
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #171 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in England and Wales, in 1996 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #10 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys