Malachy vs Marcus
Malachy and Marcuscompared 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 2024, Malachy was ranked #216 and Marcus #144 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Malachy was ranked #372 and Marcus #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Malachy was ranked #1132 and Marcus #233 among boys in England and Wales.
Malachy and Marcus over time
Malachy and Marcus appear together in 3 published lists, across 114 years of shared records. Marcus held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Malachy 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.
Marcus reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Malachy 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Malachy and Marcus changed places 6 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2024, ending at #216 and #144.
- Longest-running competitions
Malachy and Marcus were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 59 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #372 and #232.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys59 shared years, 1964–2025
Malachy held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Marcus in 52.
Highest recorded here: Malachy #123 in 1968, Marcus #99 in 1972.
The order changed in 2021: Marcus moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #280 and #307; by 2021 that had become #454 and #249.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Malachy #372, Marcus #232.
England and Wales · Boys28 shared years, 1996–2024
Malachy held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Marcus in 28.
Highest recorded here: Malachy #401 in 2005, Marcus #83 in 2001.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Malachy #1132, Marcus #233.
Northern Ireland · Boys27 shared years, 1997–2024
Malachy held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Marcus in 22.
Highest recorded here: Malachy #153 in 2023, Marcus #100 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Malachy #216, Marcus #144.
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 | Malachy | Marcus |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 3 | 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 #372 (2025) | Norway · Boys #150 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Malachy has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Marcus.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
Malachy
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #129 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: #123 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1968 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #372 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Marcus
Popularity journey
First recorded1963
First recorded at #399 among boys in Norway in 1963 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1963–2025
Highest recorded position: #24 among boys in Norway, in 2001 (recorded 1963–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #150 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys