Denis vs Hunter
Denis and Huntercompared 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.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Denis was ranked #434 and Hunter #78 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Denis was ranked #305 and Hunter #93 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Denis was ranked #232 and Hunter #159 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Denis and Hunter over time
Denis and Hunter appear together in 3 published lists, across 53 years of shared records. Hunter 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.
Denis reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Hunter 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 2018, Hunter moved ahead of Denis in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #145 and #162 the year before became #187 and #106.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Denis #262 in 2020, Hunter #44 in 2018.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Denis held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Hunter in 13.
Highest recorded here: Denis #262 in 2020, Hunter #44 in 2018.
The order changed in 2012: Hunter moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #441 and #473; by 2012 that had become #460 and #238.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Denis #434, Hunter #78.
Republic of Ireland · Boys14 shared years, 2012–2025
Denis held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Hunter in 8.
Highest recorded here: Denis #145 in 2016, Hunter #91 in 2021.
The order changed in 2018: Hunter moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #145 and #162; by 2018 that had become #187 and #106.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Denis #232, Hunter #159.
Northern Ireland · Boys10 shared years, 2008–2024
Denis held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Hunter in 8.
Highest recorded here: Denis #231 in 2011, Hunter #70 in 2019.
The order changed in 2012: Hunter moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #231 and #375; by 2012 that had become #403 and #273.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Denis #305, Hunter #93.
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 | Hunter |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | An English occupational surname, from Old English 'hunta'/'huntian' ('to hunt') — someone who hunted for a living. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | English, an occupational surname describing someone who hunted |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈhʌn.təɹ/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #60 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Hunter has a recorded origin (English, an occupational surname describing someone who hunted); Denis does not have one recorded yet.
- Denis and Hunter both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Hunter; Denis doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, 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
Hunter
Popularity journey
First recorded1996
First recorded at #2357 among boys in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Boys
Highest recorded1999–2023
Highest recorded position: #5 among boys in New Zealand, in 2017 (recorded 1999–2023).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #60 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys