Denis vs Paddy
Denis and Paddycompared 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 Paddy #99 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Denis was ranked #305 and Paddy #216 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2025, Denis was ranked #484 and Paddy #716 among boys in England and Wales.
Denis and Paddy over time
Denis and Paddy appear together in 2 published lists, across 62 years of shared records. Denis held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Paddy in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one 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 2017, Paddy moved ahead of Denis in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #145 and #159 the year before became #145 and #120.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Denis and Paddy changed places 5 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1988 and 2025, ending at #232 and #99.
- Longest-running competitions
Denis and Paddy were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #484 and #716.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys32 shared years, 1988–2025
Denis held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Paddy in 14.
Highest recorded here: Denis #71 in 1988, Paddy #96 in 2023.
The order changed in 2017: Paddy moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #145 and #159; by 2017 that had become #145 and #120.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Denis #232, Paddy #99.
England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025
Denis held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Paddy in 0.
Highest recorded here: Denis #262 in 2020, Paddy #680 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Denis #484, Paddy #716.
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 | Paddy |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 2 |
| 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, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #99 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Denis and Paddy both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in 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 #484 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys
Paddy
Popularity journey
First recorded1988
First recorded at #271 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1988 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1988–2025
Highest recorded position: #96 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2023 (recorded 1988–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #716 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys