Declan vs Timothy
Declan and Timothycompared 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.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2005, Declan was ranked #75 and Timothy #78 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Declan was ranked #256 and Timothy #339 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Declan was ranked #348 and Timothy #329 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Declan was ranked #371 and Timothy #382 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Declan was ranked #404 and Timothy #535 among boys in Scotland.
Declan and Timothy over time
Declan and Timothy appear together in 3 published lists, across 119 years of shared records. Declan held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Timothy in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Timothy reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Declan 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 2010, Timothy moved ahead of Declan in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #177 and #214 the year before became #189 and #183.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Declan and Timothy changed places 5 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2024, ending at #371 and #382.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Boys, Declan and Timothy averaged 51.9 places apart, ending at #256 and #339.
- Longest-running competitions
Declan and Timothy were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #348 and #329.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Declan held the stronger position in 41 of those years, Timothy in 20.
Highest recorded here: Declan #12 in 1971, Timothy #26 in 1964.
The order changed in 2010: Timothy moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #177 and #214; by 2010 that had become #189 and #183.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Declan #348, Timothy #329.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Declan held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Timothy in 4.
Highest recorded here: Declan #66 in 2000, Timothy #82 in 1996.
The order changed in 2022: Declan moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #390 and #385; by 2022 that had become #381 and #407.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Declan #371, Timothy #382.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Declan held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Timothy in 7.
Highest recorded here: Declan #54 in 1997, Timothy #75 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Declan #256, Timothy #339.
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 | Timothy |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | From Greek Timotheos, literally 'honouring God', combining 'timao' (to honour) with 'theos' (god). Saint Timothy accompanied the Apostle Paul on missionary journeys. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Greek |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈtɪm.ə.θi/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| 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) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #329 (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 | medium |
What the data shows
- Timothy has a recorded origin (Greek); Declan does not have one recorded yet.
- Declan has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Timothy.
- A meaning is recorded for Timothy; 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
Timothy
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #61 among boys 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 · Boys
Highest recorded1954–2005
Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in New Zealand, in 1981 (recorded 1954–2005).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #329 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys