Darren vs Mathew
Darren and Mathewcompared 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 South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1989, Darren was ranked #85 and Mathew #33 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1982, Darren was ranked #83 and Mathew #42 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2019, Darren was ranked #274 and Mathew #418 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Darren was ranked #676 and Mathew #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Darren was ranked #1108 and Mathew #1517 among boys in England and Wales.
Darren and Mathew over time
Darren and Mathew appear together in 5 published lists, across 128 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
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 Mathew 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 New Zealand · Boys, Mathew moved into the top 50 at #49 in 1976 as Darren fell out of it to #55, having been #31 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1978, Mathew moved ahead of Darren in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #32 and #39 the year before became #42 and #32.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Darren and Mathew changed places 11 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2024, ending at #1108 and #1517.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 23 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Darren and Mathew averaged 35.3 places apart, ending at #85 and #33.
- Longest-running competitions
Darren and Mathew were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 55 years, from 1966 to 2025, ending at #676 and #829.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Darren #123 in 1996, Mathew #115 in 1996.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #123 and #115 in England and Wales · Boys, 8 places apart; by 2024 they were #1108 and #1517.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys55 shared years, 1966–2025
Darren held the stronger position in 55 of those years, Mathew in 0.
Highest recorded here: Darren #18 in 1988, Mathew #174 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Darren #676, Mathew #829.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Darren held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Mathew in 15.
Highest recorded here: Darren #123 in 1996, Mathew #115 in 1996.
The order changed in 2022: Darren moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #1329 and #1290; by 2022 that had become #993 and #2320.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Darren #1108, Mathew #1517.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys23 shared years, 1966–1989
Darren held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Mathew in 12.
Highest recorded here: Darren #10 in 1966, Mathew #29 in 1985.
The order changed in 1978: Mathew moved ahead. In 1977 they stood at #32 and #39; by 1978 that had become #42 and #32.
Most recent shared year, 1989: Darren #85, Mathew #33.
New Zealand · Boys12 shared years, 1970–1982
Darren held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Mathew in 6.
Highest recorded here: Darren #31 in 1971, Mathew #42 in 1982.
The order changed in 1976: Mathew moved ahead. In 1975 they stood at #31 and #56; by 1976 that had become #55 and #49.
Most recent shared year, 1982: Darren #83, Mathew #42.
Northern Ireland · Boys9 shared years, 1998–2019
Darren held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Mathew in 0.
Highest recorded here: Darren #56 in 1998, Mathew #190 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Darren #274, Mathew #418.
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 | Mathew |
|---|---|---|
| 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/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #676 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #829 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 88/100 |
| 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)); Mathew does not have one recorded yet.
- Darren and Mathew both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Darren; Mathew doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, 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
Mathew
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #145 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 recorded1966–2000
Highest recorded position: #29 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1985 (recorded 1966–2000).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys