Declan vs Edward
Declan and Edwardcompared 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.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Declan was ranked #371 and Edward #31 among boys in England and Wales.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2010, Declan was ranked #81 and Edward #62 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2013, Declan was ranked #84 and Edward #69 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Declan was ranked #348 and Edward #125 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Declan was ranked #256 and Edward #177 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Declan was ranked #404 and Edward #181 among boys in Scotland.
Declan and Edward over time
Declan and Edward appear together in 3 published lists, across 119 years of shared records. Edward held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Declan in 0.
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.
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.
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 2011, Edward moved ahead of Declan in Northern Ireland · Boys — #165 and #173 the year before became #218 and #135.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Declan and Edward changed places 4 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2025, ending at #348 and #125.
- Longest-running competitions
Declan and Edward were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #348 and #125.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Declan #54 in 1997, Edward #104 in 1997.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1964 they stood at #23 and #18 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 5 places apart; by 2025 they were #348 and #125.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Declan held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Edward in 36.
Highest recorded here: Declan #12 in 1971, Edward #17 in 1965.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Declan #348, Edward #125.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Declan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Edward in 29.
Highest recorded here: Declan #66 in 2000, Edward #23 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Declan #371, Edward #31.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Declan held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Edward in 14.
Highest recorded here: Declan #54 in 1997, Edward #104 in 1997.
The order changed in 2011: Edward moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #165 and #173; by 2011 that had become #218 and #135.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Declan #256, Edward #177.
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 | Declan | Edward |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| 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, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #348 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #75 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 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
- Declan and Edward both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Declan
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #23 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 recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #12 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1971 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #348 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Edward
Popularity journey
First recorded1950
First recorded at #324 among boys in Norway in 1950 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #17 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1965 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #75 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys