Derek vs Lochlan
Derek and Lochlancompared 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.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Derek was ranked #727 and Lochlan #60 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Derek was ranked #432 and Lochlan #207 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Derek was ranked #1108 and Lochlan #290 among boys in England and Wales.
Derek and Lochlan over time
Derek and Lochlan appear together in 2 published lists, across 46 years of shared records. Lochlan held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Derek in 0.
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.
Derek reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Lochlan in none. 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.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Derek held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Lochlan in 25.
Highest recorded here: Derek #544 in 1998, Lochlan #281 in 2023.
The order changed in 2005: Lochlan moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #999 and #1038; by 2005 that had become #1456 and #850.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Derek #1108, Lochlan #290.
Republic of Ireland · Boys18 shared years, 2004–2025
Derek held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Lochlan in 9.
Highest recorded here: Derek #233 in 2004, Lochlan #207 in 2025.
The order changed in 2013: Lochlan moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #379 and #457; by 2013 that had become #479 and #404.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Derek #432, Lochlan #207.
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 | Derek | Lochlan |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #432 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #207 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Derek and Lochlan both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
How each name got here
Derek
Popularity journey
First recorded1954
First recorded at #89 among boys in New Zealand in 1954 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #22 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1972 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #432 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Lochlan
Popularity journey
First recorded1997
First recorded at #1345 among boys in England and Wales in 1997 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #207 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys