Denis vs Neil
Denis and Neilcompared 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 Neil #32 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1954, Denis was ranked #82 and Neil #40 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Denis was ranked #232 and Neil #372 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Denis was ranked #311 and Neil #352 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Denis was ranked #434 and Neil #968 among boys in England and Wales.
Denis and Neil over time
Denis and Neil appear together in 3 published lists, across 104 years of shared records. Denis held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Neil in 1.
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.
Neil reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Denis 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Denis and Neil changed places 12 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2025, ending at #232 and #372.
- Longest-running competitions
Denis and Neil were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #232 and #372.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Denis held the stronger position in 52 of those years, Neil in 10.
Highest recorded here: Denis #21 in 1964, Neil #55 in 1978.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Denis #232, Neil #372.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Denis held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Neil in 9.
Highest recorded here: Denis #262 in 2020, Neil #232 in 1996.
The order changed in 2010: Denis moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #596 and #581; by 2010 that had become #470 and #609.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Denis #434, Neil #968.
Northern Ireland · Boys13 shared years, 1998–2022
Denis held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Neil in 9.
Highest recorded here: Denis #231 in 2011, Neil #99 in 1998.
The order changed in 2017: Denis moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #403 and #273; by 2017 that had become #318 and #363.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Denis #311, Neil #352.
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 | Neil |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #372 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Denis has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Neil.
- 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
Neil
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #42 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 recorded1954–1979
Highest recorded position: #30 among boys in New Zealand, in 1956 (recorded 1954–1979).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #372 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys