Gordan vs Malcolm
Gordan and Malcolmcompared 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 1999, Gordan was ranked #379 and Malcolm #379 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Gordan and Malcolm over time
Gordan and Malcolm appear together in 1 published list, across 16 years of shared records. Malcolm held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Gordan in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Malcolm reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Gordan 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.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys16 shared years, 1966–1999
Gordan held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Malcolm in 14.
Highest recorded here: Gordan #194 in 1979, Malcolm #127 in 1966.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1999: Gordan #379, Malcolm #379.
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 | Gordan | Malcolm |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Traditionally interpreted as 'disciple' or 'servant of Saint Columba'. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Scottish Gaelic (Anglicised), from Mael Coluim |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈmælkəm/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #409 (2001) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #509 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 40/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Malcolm has a recorded origin (Scottish Gaelic (Anglicised), from Mael Coluim); Gordan does not have one recorded yet.
- Gordan and Malcolm both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Malcolm; Gordan doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in IE.
How each name got here
Gordan
Popularity journey
First recorded1966
First recorded at #256 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1966 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1966–2001
Highest recorded position: #194 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1979 (recorded 1966–2001).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2001
Most recently recorded at #409 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2001.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Malcolm
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #52 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1952–1976
Highest recorded position: #45 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1958 (recorded 1952–1976).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #509 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys