Namewise

Darren vs Philip

Darren and Philipcompared 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 1982, Darren was ranked #83 and Philip #50 among boys in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 1988, Darren was ranked #80 and Philip #98 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Darren was ranked #676 and Philip #309 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2021, Darren was ranked #374 and Philip #326 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Darren was ranked #1108 and Philip #461 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Darren was ranked #535 and Philip #619 among boys in Scotland.

Darren and Philip over time

Darren and Philip appear together in 5 published lists, across 157 years of shared records. Darren held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Philip 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.

Philip reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Darren 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 1984, Darren moved ahead of Philip in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #71 and #69 the year before became #69 and #84.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Darren and Philip changed places 6 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1964 and 1982, ending at #83 and #50.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 28 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Darren and Philip averaged 29.8 places apart, ending at #80 and #98.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Darren and Philip were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 60 years, from 1966 to 2025, ending at #676 and #309.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Darren #123 in 1996, Philip #103 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys60 shared years, 1966–2025

    Darren held the stronger position in 40 of those years, Philip in 20.

    Highest recorded here: Darren #18 in 1988, Philip #30 in 1978.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Darren #676, Philip #309.

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024

    Darren held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Philip in 27.

    Highest recorded here: Darren #123 in 1996, Philip #103 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Darren #1108, Philip #461.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys28 shared years, 1960–1988

    Darren held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Philip in 4.

    Highest recorded here: Darren #10 in 1966, Philip #35 in 1963.

    The order changed in 1984: Darren moved ahead. In 1983 they stood at #71 and #69; by 1984 that had become #69 and #84.

    Most recent shared year, 1988: Darren #80, Philip #98.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys22 shared years, 1997–2021

    Darren held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Philip in 9.

    Highest recorded here: Darren #52 in 1997, Philip #51 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2021: Darren #374, Philip #326.

  • New Zealand · Boys18 shared years, 1964–1982

    Darren held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Philip in 8.

    Highest recorded here: Darren #13 in 1965, Philip #22 in 1964.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1982: Darren #83, Philip #50.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Darren

Pairs where Darren shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Philip

Pairs where Philip shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — repeatedly exchanged positions.

All repeatedly exchanged positions→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Republic of Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Republic of Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Darren, Philip
FieldDarrenPhilip
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningExact 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
OriginUncertain (possibly Irish surname, or a variant of Darrell)Not yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈdæɹ.ən/Not yet recorded
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #676 (2025)Norway · Boys #91 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Darren has a recorded origin (Uncertain (possibly Irish surname, or a variant of Darrell)); Philip does not have one recorded yet.
  • Darren and Philip both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Darren; Philip doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Darren

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1960–1989

    Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1966 (recorded 1960–1989).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #676 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

Philip

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1948

    First recorded at #341 among boys in Norway in 1948 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1954–1992

    Highest recorded position: #20 among boys in New Zealand, in 1963 (recorded 1954–1992).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #91 among boys in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Boys