Dave vs Denis
Dave and Deniscompared 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 2024, Dave was ranked #582 and Denis #195 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Dave was ranked #1951 and Denis #434 among boys in England and Wales.
Dave and Denis over time
Dave and Denis appear together in 2 published lists, across 40 years of shared records. Denis held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Dave in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
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.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Dave held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Denis in 28.
Highest recorded here: Dave #1188 in 2003, Denis #262 in 2020.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Dave #1951, Denis #434.
Republic of Ireland · Boys12 shared years, 1982–2024
Dave held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Denis in 12.
Highest recorded here: Dave #303 in 1987, Denis #55 in 1982.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Dave #582, Denis #195.
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 | Dave | Denis |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #582 (2024) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 60/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Dave and Denis both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE.
How each name got here
Dave
Popularity journey
First recorded1982
First recorded at #330 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1982 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1982–2024
Highest recorded position: #303 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1987 (recorded 1982–2024).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #1951 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys
Denis
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #65 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — 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: #21 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys