Gavin vs Keelan
Gavin and Keelancompared 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 2025, Gavin was ranked #348 and Keelan #211 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2020, Gavin was ranked #270 and Keelan #304 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Gavin was ranked #898 and Keelan #1675 among boys in England and Wales.
Gavin and Keelan over time
Gavin and Keelan appear together in 3 published lists, across 92 years of shared records. Gavin held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Keelan in 1.
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.
Gavin reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Keelan 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 2015, Keelan moved ahead of Gavin in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #136 and #175 the year before became #190 and #167.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Gavin and Keelan changed places 4 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2024, ending at #898 and #1675.
- Longest-running competitions
Gavin and Keelan were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 44 years, from 1980 to 2025, ending at #348 and #211.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys44 shared years, 1980–2025
Gavin held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Keelan in 12.
Highest recorded here: Gavin #32 in 1994, Keelan #115 in 1999.
The order changed in 2015: Keelan moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #136 and #175; by 2015 that had become #190 and #167.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Gavin #348, Keelan #211.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Gavin held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Keelan in 22.
Highest recorded here: Gavin #185 in 1996, Keelan #286 in 2004.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Gavin #898, Keelan #1675.
Northern Ireland · Boys19 shared years, 1997–2020
Gavin held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Keelan in 5.
Highest recorded here: Gavin #66 in 1997, Keelan #111 in 2001.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Gavin #270, Keelan #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 | Gavin | Keelan |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #348 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #211 (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
- Gavin and Keelan both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
Gavin
Popularity journey
First recorded1954
First recorded at #70 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: #32 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1994 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #348 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Keelan
Popularity journey
First recorded1980
First recorded at #321 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1980 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2023
Highest recorded position: #111 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2001 (recorded 1997–2023).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #211 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys