Denis vs Hugh
Denis and Hughcompared 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, Denis was ranked #232 and Hugh #179 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Denis was ranked #305 and Hugh #339 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Denis was ranked #434 and Hugh #500 among boys in England and Wales.
Denis and Hugh over time
Denis and Hugh appear together in 3 published lists, across 108 years of shared records. Hugh held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Denis 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.
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 2020, Hugh moved ahead of Denis in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #148 and #161 the year before became #180 and #122.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Denis and Hugh changed places 7 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2025, ending at #232 and #179.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 62 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Denis and Hugh averaged 33.8 places apart, ending at #232 and #179.
- Longest-running competitions
Denis and Hugh were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #232 and #179.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Denis #21 in 1964, Hugh #53 in 1964.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Denis held the stronger position in 36 of those years, Hugh in 26.
Highest recorded here: Denis #21 in 1964, Hugh #53 in 1964.
The order changed in 2020: Hugh moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #148 and #161; by 2020 that had become #180 and #122.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Denis #232, Hugh #179.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Denis held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Hugh in 19.
Highest recorded here: Denis #262 in 2020, Hugh #198 in 1997.
The order changed in 2016: Denis moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #351 and #346; by 2016 that had become #333 and #344.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Denis #434, Hugh #500.
Northern Ireland · Boys17 shared years, 1998–2024
Denis held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Hugh in 15.
Highest recorded here: Denis #231 in 2011, Hugh #126 in 2023.
The order changed in 2024: Denis moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #395 and #126; by 2024 that had become #305 and #339.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Denis #305, Hugh #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 | Denis | Hugh |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #179 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 92/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Denis has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Hugh.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Denis
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #65 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 recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #21 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Hugh
Popularity journey
First recorded1955
First recorded at #91 among boys in New Zealand in 1955 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #53 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #179 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys