Fergal vs Frank
Fergal and Frankcompared 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, Fergal was ranked #4270 and Frank #194 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2023, Fergal was ranked #660 and Frank #268 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2020, Fergal was ranked #334 and Frank #304 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Fergal and Frank over time
Fergal and Frank appear together in 3 published lists, across 86 years of shared records. Frank held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Fergal in 1.
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.
Fergal reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Frank in 1. 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 2005, Frank moved ahead of Fergal in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #171 and #283 the year before became #268 and #181.
- Longest-running competitions
Fergal and Frank were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 56 years, from 1964 to 2023, ending at #660 and #268.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys56 shared years, 1964–2023
Fergal held the stronger position in 39 of those years, Frank in 16.
Highest recorded here: Fergal #46 in 1970, Frank #139 in 1966.
The order changed in 2005: Frank moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #171 and #283; by 2005 that had become #268 and #181.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Fergal #660, Frank #268.
England and Wales · Boys22 shared years, 1996–2024
Fergal held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Frank in 22.
Highest recorded here: Fergal #1130 in 1999, Frank #172 in 2020.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Fergal #4270, Frank #194.
Northern Ireland · Boys8 shared years, 2003–2020
Fergal held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Frank in 4.
Highest recorded here: Fergal #210 in 2003, Frank #223 in 2006.
The order changed in 2020: Frank moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #281 and #315; by 2020 that had become #334 and #304.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Fergal #334, Frank #304.
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 | Fergal | Frank |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 1 |
| 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 | England and Wales · Boys #4270 (2024) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #286 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Fergal has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Frank.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
Fergal
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #93 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 recorded1964–2023
Highest recorded position: #46 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1970 (recorded 1964–2023).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #4270 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys
Frank
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #61 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #22 among boys in Norway, in 1968 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #459 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys