Declan vs Stephen
Declan and Stephencompared 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 Stephen #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Declan was ranked #256 and Stephen #305 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Declan was ranked #371 and Stephen #651 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Declan was ranked #404 and Stephen #535 among boys in Scotland.
Declan and Stephen over time
Declan and Stephen appear together in 3 published lists, across 119 years of shared records. Stephen held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Declan in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Declan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Stephen in 1. 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1999, Declan moved ahead of Stephen in England and Wales · Boys — #85 and #70 the year before became #73 and #74.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Declan and Stephen changed places 5 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2024, ending at #256 and #305.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Boys, Declan and Stephen averaged 48.1 places apart, ending at #256 and #305.
- Longest-running competitions
Declan and Stephen were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #348 and #232.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Declan #54 in 1997, Stephen #21 in 1998.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Declan held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Stephen in 58.
Highest recorded here: Declan #12 in 1971, Stephen #4 in 1983.
The order changed in 1972: Stephen moved ahead. In 1971 they stood at #12 and #14; by 1972 that had become #15 and #13.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Declan #348, Stephen #232.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Declan held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Stephen in 3.
Highest recorded here: Declan #66 in 2000, Stephen #60 in 1996.
The order changed in 1999: Declan moved ahead. In 1998 they stood at #85 and #70; by 1999 that had become #73 and #74.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Declan #371, Stephen #651.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Declan held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Stephen in 22.
Highest recorded here: Declan #54 in 1997, Stephen #21 in 1998.
The order changed in 2022: Declan moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #326 and #226; by 2022 that had become #234 and #285.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Declan #256, Stephen #305.
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 | Stephen |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | From Greek Stephanos, meaning 'crown, wreath' — literally 'that which surrounds'. Saint Stephen, a deacon stoned to death in the New Testament, is regarded as the first Christian martyr. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Greek |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈstiː.vən/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Steven, Stefan, Stephan |
| 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) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Stephen has a recorded origin (Greek); Declan does not have one recorded yet.
- Declan and Stephen both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Stephen; Declan doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Declan a "medium" Data Confidence level and Stephen a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
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
Stephen
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #352 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–1997
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1955 (recorded 1952–1997).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys