Namewise
Shortlist

Declan vs Steven

Declan and Steven compared 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 · Boys

    In 2022, Declan was ranked #234 and Steven #414 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Declan was ranked #404 and Steven #307 among boys in Scotland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Declan was ranked #348 and Steven #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Declan was ranked #372 and Steven #976 among boys in England and Wales.

Declan and Steven over time

Republic of Ireland · Boys
#30#100#30019642025Declan #348Steven #8291964: Declan #23, Steven #2321965: Declan #18, Steven #1811966: Declan #22, Steven #1851967: Declan #21, Steven #1561968: Declan #21, Steven #1701969: Declan #20, Steven #1791970: Declan #15, Steven #1541971: Declan #12, Steven #1491972: Declan #15, Steven #1411973: Declan #14, Steven #1231974: Declan #21, Steven #1101975: Declan #21, Steven #931976: Declan #21, Steven #1011977: Declan #24, Steven #1031978: Declan #26, Steven #1091979: Declan #30, Steven #911980: Declan #32, Steven #981981: Declan #29, Steven #791982: Declan #38, Steven #741983: Declan #40, Steven #641984: Declan #42, Steven #641985: Declan #44, Steven #621986: Declan #40, Steven #611987: Declan #40, Steven #711988: Declan #42, Steven #641989: Declan #45, Steven #661990: Declan #49, Steven #571991: Declan #59, Steven #651992: Declan #61, Steven #671993: Declan #69, Steven #671994: Declan #69, Steven #721995: Declan #75, Steven #751996: Declan #77, Steven #761997: Declan #81, Steven #801998: Declan #98, Steven #831999: Declan #103, Steven #972000: Declan #109, Steven #972001: Declan #115, Steven #1272002: Declan #112, Steven #992003: Declan #128, Steven #1232004: Declan #118, Steven #1372005: Declan #141, Steven #1272006: Declan #149, Steven #1352007: Declan #186, Steven #1472008: Declan #159, Steven #1592009: Declan #177, Steven #1562010: Declan #189, Steven #2202011: Declan #204, Steven #2452012: Declan #267, Steven #3102013: Declan #245, Steven #2962014: Declan #237, Steven #2592015: Declan #265, Steven #3452016: Declan #245, Steven #3132017: Declan #443, Steven #4952018: Declan #350, Steven #4352019: Declan #370, Steven #4662020: Declan #496, Steven #5562021: Declan #312, Steven #3492023: Declan #436, Steven #5162024: Declan #374, Steven #3022025: Declan #348, Steven #829

Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.

England and Wales · Boys
#100#30019962025Declan #372Steven #9761996: Declan #83, Steven #731997: Declan #69, Steven #791998: Declan #85, Steven #871999: Declan #73, Steven #922000: Declan #66, Steven #1102001: Declan #81, Steven #1262002: Declan #89, Steven #1332003: Declan #92, Steven #1522004: Declan #92, Steven #1642005: Declan #108, Steven #1712006: Declan #122, Steven #1782007: Declan #126, Steven #1912008: Declan #123, Steven #2162009: Declan #136, Steven #2242010: Declan #133, Steven #2452011: Declan #149, Steven #2982012: Declan #175, Steven #3322013: Declan #198, Steven #3882014: Declan #250, Steven #4382015: Declan #245, Steven #4032016: Declan #294, Steven #4862017: Declan #314, Steven #4952018: Declan #399, Steven #5722019: Declan #388, Steven #5522020: Declan #368, Steven #6192021: Declan #390, Steven #7902022: Declan #381, Steven #7582023: Declan #388, Steven #8142024: Declan #371, Steven #8002025: Declan #372, Steven #976

Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.

Declan and Steven over time

Declan and Steven appear together in 3 published lists, across 115 years of shared records. Declan held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Steven 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.

Declan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Steven 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 1997, Declan moved ahead of Steven in England and Wales · Boys — #83 and #73 the year before became #69 and #79.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Declan and Steven changed places 8 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2022, ending at #234 and #414.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 24 shared years in Northern Ireland · Boys, Declan and Steven averaged 58.2 places apart, ending at #234 and #414.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Declan and Steven were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #372 and #976.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Declan #54 in 1997, Steven #54 in 1998.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1996 they stood at #83 and #73 in England and Wales · Boys, 10 places apart; by 2025 they were #372 and #976.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys61 shared years, 1964–2025

    Declan held the stronger position in 46 of those years, Steven in 13.

    Highest recorded here: Declan #12 in 1971, Steven #57 in 1990.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Declan #348, Steven #829.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Declan held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Steven in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Declan #66 in 2000, Steven #73 in 1996.

    The order changed in 1997: Declan moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #83 and #73; by 1997 that had become #69 and #79.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Declan #372, Steven #976.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys24 shared years, 1997–2022

    Declan held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Steven in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Declan #54 in 1997, Steven #54 in 1998.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Declan #234, Steven #414.

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 Declan

Pairs where Declan shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Steven

Pairs where Steven shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — repeatedly exchanged positions.

All repeatedly exchanged positions →

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Republic of Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Republic of Ireland overview →

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars →

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Declan, Steven
FieldDeclanSteven
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
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageNew South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, New ZealandNew South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Norway, New Zealand
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #348 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #829 (2025)
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Declan and Steven 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

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #12 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1971 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #372 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Steven

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1946

    First recorded at #363 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1952–2000

    Highest recorded position: #12 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1961 (recorded 1952–2000).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #976 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys