Namewise

Dean vs Ross

Dean and Rosscompared 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 1983, Dean was ranked #50 and Ross #86 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 1985, Dean was ranked #68 and Ross #96 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Dean was ranked #727 and Ross #307 among boys in Scotland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Dean was ranked #432 and Ross #329 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2023, Dean was ranked #348 and Ross #395 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Dean was ranked #651 and Ross #3254 among boys in England and Wales.

Dean and Ross over time

Dean and Ross appear together in 5 published lists, across 163 years of shared records. Dean held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Ross in 1.

The order between them changed and held in 4 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 2 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 1965, Dean moved ahead of Ross in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #58 and #57 the year before became #55 and #62.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Dean and Ross changed places 14 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1966 and 2025, ending at #432 and #329.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 23 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Dean and Ross averaged 39.5 places apart, ending at #50 and #86.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Dean and Ross were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 59 years, from 1966 to 2025, ending at #432 and #329.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Dean #80 in 1996, Ross #60 in 1997.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys59 shared years, 19662025

    Dean held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Ross in 23.

    Highest recorded here: Dean #24 in 1993, Ross #39 in 1998.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Dean #432, Ross #329.

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 19962024

    Dean held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Ross in 11.

    Highest recorded here: Dean #80 in 1996, Ross #60 in 1997.

    The order changed in 2007: Dean moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #234 and #224; by 2007 that had become #222 and #269.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Dean #651, Ross #3254.

  • New Zealand · Boys28 shared years, 19561985

    Dean held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Ross in 7.

    Highest recorded here: Dean #13 in 1967, Ross #25 in 1957.

    The order changed in 1963: Dean moved ahead. In 1962 they stood at #30 and #28; by 1963 that had become #29 and #32.

    Most recent shared year, 1985: Dean #68, Ross #96.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys24 shared years, 19972023

    Dean held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Ross in 20.

    Highest recorded here: Dean #45 in 1997, Ross #30 in 1997.

    The order changed in 2023: Dean moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #414 and #414; by 2023 that had become #348 and #395.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Dean #348, Ross #395.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys23 shared years, 19571983

    Dean held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Ross in 8.

    Highest recorded here: Dean #26 in 1968, Ross #34 in 1958.

    The order changed in 1965: Dean moved ahead. In 1964 they stood at #58 and #57; by 1965 that had become #55 and #62.

    Most recent shared year, 1983: Dean #50, Ross #86.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Dean, Ross
FieldDeanRoss
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
PronunciationNot yet recorded
Syllables11
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, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #432 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #329 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Dean and Ross both have 1 syllable.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Dean

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1956

    First recorded at #95 among boys in New Zealand in 1956 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New Zealand · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1956–1991

    Highest recorded position: #13 among boys in New Zealand, in 1967 (recorded 1956–1991).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #432 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

Ross

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #36 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

  2. Highest recorded1954–1985

    Highest recorded position: #25 among boys in New Zealand, in 1957 (recorded 1954–1985).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #329 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys