Derek vs Mervyn
Derek and Mervyncompared 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 1989, Derek was ranked #72 and Mervyn #278 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1957, Derek was ranked #87 and Mervyn #95 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2017, Derek was ranked #1210 and Mervyn #3996 among boys in England and Wales.
Derek and Mervyn over time
Derek and Mervyn appear together in 2 published lists, across 34 years of shared records. Derek held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Mervyn in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
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.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys23 shared years, 1964–1989
Derek held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Mervyn in 0.
Highest recorded here: Derek #22 in 1972, Mervyn #136 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1989: Derek #72, Mervyn #278.
England and Wales · Boys11 shared years, 1998–2017
Derek held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Mervyn in 0.
Highest recorded here: Derek #544 in 1998, Mervyn #1962 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2017: Derek #1210, Mervyn #3996.
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 | Mervyn |
|---|---|---|
| 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, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #432 (2025) | England and Wales · Boys #3996 (2017) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Derek and Mervyn both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE, NZ.
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
Mervyn
Popularity journey
First recorded1954
First recorded at #85 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 recorded1954–1957
Highest recorded position: #85 among boys in New Zealand, in 1954 (recorded 1954–1957).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2017
Most recently recorded at #3996 among boys in England and Wales, in 2017.
England and Wales · Boys