Donal vs Edward
Donal and Edwardcompared 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.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Donal was ranked #5119 and Edward #31 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Donal was ranked #509 and Edward #125 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Donal was ranked #216 and Edward #177 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Donal and Edward over time
Donal and Edward appear together in 3 published lists, across 104 years of shared records. Edward held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Donal 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.
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
Donal and Edward changed places 4 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2024, ending at #216 and #177.
- Longest-running competitions
Donal and Edward were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #509 and #125.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Donal #117 in 1998, Edward #104 in 1997.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Donal held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Edward in 62.
Highest recorded here: Donal #38 in 1965, Edward #17 in 1965.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Donal #509, Edward #125.
Northern Ireland · Boys27 shared years, 1997–2024
Donal held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Edward in 25.
Highest recorded here: Donal #117 in 1998, Edward #104 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Donal #216, Edward #177.
England and Wales · Boys15 shared years, 1996–2024
Donal held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Edward in 15.
Highest recorded here: Donal #1746 in 2001, Edward #26 in 2015.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Donal #5119, Edward #31.
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 | Donal | Edward |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #509 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #75 (2025) |
| 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
- Donal and Edward both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
Donal
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #45 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: #38 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1965 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #509 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Edward
Popularity journey
First recorded1950
First recorded at #324 among boys in Norway in 1950 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #17 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1965 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #75 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys