Denis vs Laurence
Denis and Laurencecompared 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 1955, Denis was ranked #97 and Laurence #100 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Denis was ranked #195 and Laurence #582 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 1998, Denis was ranked #272 and Laurence #272 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Denis was ranked #434 and Laurence #389 among boys in England and Wales.
Denis and Laurence over time
Denis and Laurence appear together in 2 published lists, across 90 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Denis and Laurence changed places 4 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2024, ending at #434 and #389.
- Longest-running competitions
Denis and Laurence were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 61 years, from 1964 to 2024, ending at #195 and #582.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys61 shared years, 1964–2024
Denis held the stronger position in 61 of those years, Laurence in 0.
Highest recorded here: Denis #21 in 1964, Laurence #47 in 1968.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Denis #195, Laurence #582.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Denis held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Laurence in 19.
Highest recorded here: Denis #262 in 2020, Laurence #161 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Denis #434, Laurence #389.
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 Denis
Pairs where Denis shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Adrian vs Denis
Adrian and Denis changed places 16 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2025, ending at #348 and #232.
Adrian · Denis · 62 shared years, 1964–2025 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
- Timothy vs Denis
Timothy and Denis changed places 16 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2025, ending at #329 and #232.
Timothy · Denis · 62 shared years, 1964–2025 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
- Richard vs Denis
Richard and Denis changed places 12 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2025, ending at #232 and #232.
Richard · Denis · 62 shared years, 1964–2025 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
- John vs Denis
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — John #1 in 1964, Denis #21 in 1964.
John · Denis · 62 shared years, 1964–2025 · Peaked in the same years
Side by side
| Field | Denis | Laurence |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 3 |
| 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, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025) | England and Wales · Boys #389 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 76/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Denis has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Laurence.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
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
Laurence
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #86 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 recorded1964–2024
Highest recorded position: #47 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1968 (recorded 1964–2024).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #389 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys