Darren vs Dion
Darren and Dioncompared 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.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1978, Darren was ranked #90 and Dion #81 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2013, Darren was ranked #343 and Dion #398 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Darren was ranked #676 and Dion #577 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Darren was ranked #1108 and Dion #651 among boys in England and Wales.
Darren and Dion over time
Darren and Dion appear together in 3 published lists, across 73 years of shared records. Darren held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Dion in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Darren reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Dion 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 moved ahead of the other
In 1977, Dion moved ahead of Darren in New Zealand · Boys — #55 and #57 the year before became #80 and #71.
- Longest-running competitions
Darren and Dion were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 32 years, from 1992 to 2025, ending at #676 and #577.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys32 shared years, 1992–2025
Darren held the stronger position in 31 of those years, Dion in 1.
Highest recorded here: Darren #23 in 1992, Dion #144 in 1999.
The order changed in 2025: Dion moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #287 and #394; by 2025 that had become #676 and #577.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Darren #676, Dion #577.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Darren held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Dion in 7.
Highest recorded here: Darren #123 in 1996, Dion #271 in 1999.
The order changed in 2018: Dion moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #806 and #833; by 2018 that had become #1097 and #741.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Darren #1108, Dion #651.
New Zealand · Boys12 shared years, 1967–1978
Darren held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Dion in 2.
Highest recorded here: Darren #25 in 1967, Dion #50 in 1974.
The order changed in 1977: Dion moved ahead. In 1976 they stood at #55 and #57; by 1977 that had become #80 and #71.
Most recent shared year, 1978: Darren #90, Dion #81.
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 | Darren | Dion |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Exact meaning uncertain — may derive from a rare Irish surname, or be a variant of Darrell. Popularized in the late 1950s by actor Darren McGavin and in the 1960s by the character Darrin Stephens from Bewitched. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Uncertain (possibly Irish surname, or a variant of Darrell) | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdæɹ.ən/ | |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #676 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #577 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Darren has a recorded origin (Uncertain (possibly Irish surname, or a variant of Darrell)); Dion does not have one recorded yet.
- Darren has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Dion.
- A meaning is recorded for Darren; Dion doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Darren
Popularity journey
First recorded1960
First recorded at #83 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 recorded1960–1989
Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1966 (recorded 1960–1989).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #676 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Dion
Popularity journey
First recorded1967
First recorded at #93 among boys in New Zealand in 1967 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Boys
Highest recorded1967–1984
Highest recorded position: #50 among boys in New Zealand, in 1974 (recorded 1967–1984).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #577 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys