Namewise

Denis vs Timothy

Denis and Timothycompared 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 Timothy #46 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 1954, Denis was ranked #82 and Timothy #61 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Denis was ranked #232 and Timothy #329 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Denis was ranked #305 and Timothy #339 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2019, Denis was ranked #351 and Timothy #518 among boys in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Denis was ranked #484 and Timothy #418 among boys in England and Wales.

Denis and Timothy over time

Denis and Timothy appear together in 4 published lists, across 140 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

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.

Timothy 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 Timothy changed places 6 times in Norway · Boys between 1973 and 2019, ending at #351 and #518.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 62 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Denis and Timothy averaged 20.4 places apart, ending at #232 and #329.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Denis and Timothy were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #484 and #418.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Denis #21 in 1964, Timothy #26 in 1964.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Denis held the stronger position in 42 of those years, Timothy in 19.

    Highest recorded here: Denis #21 in 1964, Timothy #26 in 1964.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Denis #232, Timothy #329.

  • Norway · Boys31 shared years, 1973–2019

    Denis held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Timothy in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Denis #249 in 1984, Timothy #413 in 1988.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2019: Denis #351, Timothy #518.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Denis held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Timothy in 23.

    Highest recorded here: Denis #262 in 2020, Timothy #82 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Denis #484, Timothy #418.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys17 shared years, 1998–2024

    Denis held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Timothy in 15.

    Highest recorded here: Denis #231 in 2011, Timothy #75 in 2000.

    The order changed in 2024: Denis moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #395 and #249; by 2024 that had become #305 and #339.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Denis #305, Timothy #339.

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.

Other comparisons involving Timothy

Pairs where Timothy shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — repeatedly exchanged positions.

All repeatedly exchanged positions→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Republic of Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Republic of Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Denis, Timothy
FieldDenisTimothy
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedFrom Greek Timotheos, literally 'honouring God', combining 'timao' (to honour) with 'theos' (god). Saint Timothy accompanied the Apostle Paul on missionary journeys.
OriginNot yet recordedGreek
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˈtɪm.ə.θi/
Syllables23
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #329 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Timothy has a recorded origin (Greek); Denis does not have one recorded yet.
  • Denis has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Timothy.
  • A meaning is recorded for Timothy; Denis doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Denis

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #21 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #484 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Timothy

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #61 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

  2. Highest recorded1954–2005

    Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in New Zealand, in 1981 (recorded 1954–2005).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #418 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys