Dearbhail vs Deborah
Dearbhail and Deborahcompared 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.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2007, Dearbhail was ranked #413 and Deborah #351 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2011, Dearbhail was ranked #937 and Deborah #695 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Dearbhail and Deborah over time
Dearbhail and Deborah appear together in 2 published lists, across 33 years of shared records. Deborah held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Dearbhail in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Deborah reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Dearbhail 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.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls25 shared years, 1970–2011
Dearbhail held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Deborah in 25.
Highest recorded here: Dearbhail #344 in 1988, Deborah #38 in 1981.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2011: Dearbhail #937, Deborah #695.
Northern Ireland · Girls8 shared years, 1997–2007
Dearbhail held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Deborah in 4.
Highest recorded here: Dearbhail #174 in 1998, Deborah #116 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2007: Dearbhail #413, Deborah #351.
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 Deborah
Pairs where Deborah shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Deborah vs Maeve
In 1964 they stood at #76 and #80 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 4 places apart; by 2025 they were #608 and #60.
Deborah · Maeve · 59 shared years, 1964–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Deborah vs Evelyn
In 1964 they stood at #76 and #83 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 7 places apart; by 2025 they were #608 and #94.
Deborah · Evelyn · 59 shared years, 1964–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Deborah vs Olive
In 1964 they stood at #76 and #72 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 4 places apart; by 2025 they were #608 and #247.
Deborah · Olive · 55 shared years, 1964–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Deborah vs Paula
Deborah and Paula changed places 17 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1964 and 2025, ending at #608 and #718.
Deborah · Paula · 59 shared years, 1964–2025 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
Side by side
| Field | Dearbhail | Deborah |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | From Hebrew, meaning 'bee'. In the biblical Book of Judges, Deborah was a prophetess who led the Israelites against Canaanite forces. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈdɛb.ə.ɹə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-NIR, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #937 (2011) | Norway · Girls #429 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 70/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 60/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Deborah has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Dearbhail does not have one recorded yet.
- Dearbhail has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Deborah.
- A meaning is recorded for Deborah; Dearbhail doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
Dearbhail
Popularity journey
First recorded1970
First recorded at #396 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1970 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1997–2007
Highest recorded position: #174 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 1998 (recorded 1997–2007).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2011
Most recently recorded at #937 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2011.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Deborah
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #51 among girls 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 · Girls
Highest recorded1952–1980
Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1957 (recorded 1952–1980).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #429 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls