Namewise

Denis vs Wayne

Denis and Waynecompared 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 Wayne #11 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 1954, Denis was ranked #82 and Wayne #19 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Denis was ranked #232 and Wayne #676 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Denis was ranked #434 and Wayne #1951 among boys in England and Wales.

Denis and Wayne over time

Denis and Wayne appear together in 2 published lists, across 88 years of shared records. Denis held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Wayne 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.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Denis and Wayne changed places 4 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2025, ending at #232 and #676.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Denis and Wayne were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 59 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #232 and #676.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys59 shared years, 19642025

    Denis held the stronger position in 53 of those years, Wayne in 6.

    Highest recorded here: Denis #21 in 1964, Wayne #59 in 1985.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Denis #232, Wayne #676.

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 19962024

    Denis held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Wayne in 8.

    Highest recorded here: Denis #262 in 2020, Wayne #296 in 1996.

    The order changed in 2005: Denis moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #599 and #549; by 2005 that had become #506 and #638.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Denis #434, Wayne #1951.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Denis, Wayne
FieldDenisWayne
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
PronunciationNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #676 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Denis and Wayne both have 2 syllables.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, 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 #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

Wayne

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #29 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 recorded1952–1986

    Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1958 (recorded 1952–1986).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #676 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys