Declan vs Martin
Declan and Martincompared 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 2025, Declan was ranked #348 and Martin #102 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Declan was ranked #256 and Martin #216 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Declan was ranked #371 and Martin #346 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Declan was ranked #404 and Martin #352 among boys in Scotland.
Declan and Martin over time
Declan and Martin appear together in 3 published lists, across 119 years of shared records. Martin held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Declan 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.
Martin reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Declan 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Declan and Martin changed places 8 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2024, ending at #256 and #216.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Boys, Declan and Martin averaged 36.0 places apart, ending at #256 and #216.
- Longest-running competitions
Declan and Martin were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #348 and #102.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Declan #54 in 1997, Martin #49 in 1997.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Declan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Martin in 62.
Highest recorded here: Declan #12 in 1971, Martin #9 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Declan #348, Martin #102.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Declan held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Martin in 11.
Highest recorded here: Declan #66 in 2000, Martin #109 in 1996.
The order changed in 2014: Martin moved ahead. In 2013 they stood at #198 and #268; by 2014 that had become #250 and #247.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Declan #371, Martin #346.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Declan held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Martin in 17.
Highest recorded here: Declan #54 in 1997, Martin #49 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Declan #256, Martin #216.
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 | Martin |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | From the Roman name Martinus, connected to Mars, the Roman god of war. Widely known through Saint Martin of Tours, a 4th-century bishop and patron saint of France. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Latin (Ancient Roman) |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈmɑɹ.tɪn/ |
| 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) | Norway · Boys #69 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Martin has a recorded origin (Latin (Ancient Roman)); Declan does not have one recorded yet.
- Declan and Martin both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Martin; Declan 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
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
Martin
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #83 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Norway, in 1992 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #69 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys