Denis vs Noel
Denis and Noelcompared 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 Noel #58 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1954, Denis was ranked #82 and Noel #63 among boys in New Zealand.
Norway · Boys
In 2024, Denis was ranked #423 and Noel #132 among boys in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Denis was ranked #232 and Noel #402 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Denis was ranked #311 and Noel #414 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Denis was ranked #434 and Noel #567 among boys in England and Wales.
Denis and Noel over time
Denis and Noel appear together in 4 published lists, across 130 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
The order between them changed and held in 4 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 2 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 1997, Denis moved ahead of Noel in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #112 and #101 the year before became #93 and #113.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Denis and Noel changed places 9 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2024, ending at #434 and #567.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 62 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Denis and Noel averaged 47.7 places apart, ending at #232 and #402.
- Longest-running competitions
Denis and Noel were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #232 and #402.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Denis #21 in 1964, Noel #19 in 1966.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Denis held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Noel in 30.
Highest recorded here: Denis #21 in 1964, Noel #19 in 1966.
The order changed in 1997: Denis moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #112 and #101; by 1997 that had become #93 and #113.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Denis #232, Noel #402.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Denis held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Noel in 6.
Highest recorded here: Denis #262 in 2020, Noel #372 in 2015.
The order changed in 2015: Denis moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #381 and #374; by 2015 that had become #351 and #372.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Denis #434, Noel #567.
Norway · Boys24 shared years, 1994–2024
Denis held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Noel in 17.
Highest recorded here: Denis #302 in 2005, Noel #132 in 2024.
The order changed in 2009: Noel moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #378 and #409; by 2009 that had become #426 and #370.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Denis #423, Noel #132.
Northern Ireland · Boys15 shared years, 1998–2022
Denis held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Noel in 9.
Highest recorded here: Denis #231 in 2011, Noel #206 in 2000.
The order changed in 2020: Denis moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #418 and #312; by 2020 that had become #334 and #392.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Denis #311, Noel #414.
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 | Noel |
|---|---|---|
| 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, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025) | Norway · Boys #139 (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 Noel.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, 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
Noel
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #56 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: #19 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1966 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #139 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys