Derek vs Niall
Derek and Niallcompared 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.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 1998, Derek was ranked #272 and Niall #26 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Derek was ranked #432 and Niall #244 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Derek was ranked #727 and Niall #246 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Derek was ranked #1108 and Niall #613 among boys in England and Wales.
Derek and Niall over time
Derek and Niall appear together in 2 published lists, across 89 years of shared records. Niall held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Derek 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.
Derek reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Niall 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.
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 1974, Niall moved ahead of Derek in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #27 and #28 the year before became #28 and #24.
- Longest-running competitions
Derek and Niall were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 60 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #432 and #244.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Derek #464 in 1996, Niall #106 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys60 shared years, 1964–2025
Derek held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Niall in 50.
Highest recorded here: Derek #22 in 1972, Niall #16 in 1991.
The order changed in 1974: Niall moved ahead. In 1973 they stood at #27 and #28; by 1974 that had become #28 and #24.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Derek #432, Niall #244.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Derek held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Niall in 29.
Highest recorded here: Derek #464 in 1996, Niall #106 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Derek #1108, Niall #613.
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 | Niall |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 1 |
| 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 #244 (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
- Derek has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Niall.
- 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
Niall
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #47 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #16 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1991 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #244 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys