Namewise

Aaron vs Jonathan

Aaron and Jonathancompared 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, Aaron was ranked #71 and Jonathan #223 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2016, Aaron was ranked #81 and Jonathan #97 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2013, Aaron was ranked #89 and Jonathan #88 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, Aaron was ranked #334 and Jonathan #93 among boys in Norway.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Aaron was ranked #114 and Jonathan #352 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Aaron was ranked #180 and Jonathan #296 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Aaron was ranked #187 and Jonathan #305 among boys in Northern Ireland.

Aaron and Jonathan over time

Aaron and Jonathan appear together in 6 published lists, across 250 years of shared records. Aaron held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Jonathan 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.

Jonathan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, Aaron 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 2014, Aaron moved ahead of Jonathan in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #92 and #84 the year before became #91 and #100.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Aaron and Jonathan changed places 5 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1969 and 2016, ending at #81 and #97.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 46 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Aaron and Jonathan averaged 23.6 places apart, ending at #81 and #97.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 60 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Aaron rose about as far as Jonathan fell — from #222 and #137 in 1965 to #71 and #223 in 2025.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Aaron and Jonathan were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #180 and #296.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Aaron #31 in 1998, Jonathan #39 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys60 shared years, 1965–2025

    Aaron held the stronger position in 35 of those years, Jonathan in 25.

    Highest recorded here: Aaron #6 in 1998, Jonathan #18 in 1981.

    The order changed in 1991: Aaron moved ahead. In 1990 they stood at #36 and #33; by 1991 that had become #28 and #36.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Aaron #71, Jonathan #223.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys46 shared years, 1969–2016

    Aaron held the stronger position in 41 of those years, Jonathan in 5.

    Highest recorded here: Aaron #18 in 1986, Jonathan #41 in 1980.

    The order changed in 2014: Aaron moved ahead. In 2013 they stood at #92 and #84; by 2014 that had become #91 and #100.

    Most recent shared year, 2016: Aaron #81, Jonathan #97.

  • New Zealand · Boys43 shared years, 1966–2013

    Aaron held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Jonathan in 17.

    Highest recorded here: Aaron #8 in 1972, Jonathan #15 in 1982.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2013: Aaron #89, Jonathan #88.

  • Norway · Boys43 shared years, 1972–2025

    Aaron held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jonathan in 43.

    Highest recorded here: Aaron #162 in 2015, Jonathan #32 in 2011.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Aaron #334, Jonathan #93.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Aaron held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Jonathan in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Aaron #31 in 1998, Jonathan #39 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Aaron #180, Jonathan #296.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Aaron held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Jonathan in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Aaron #8 in 2000, Jonathan #20 in 1998.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Aaron #187, Jonathan #305.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Aaron

Pairs where Aaron shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Jonathan

Pairs where Jonathan shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — repeatedly exchanged positions.

All repeatedly exchanged positions→

Other pairs from New Zealand lists

Pairs measured inside New Zealand's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New Zealand overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2010s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2010 and 2019.

The 2010s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Aaron, Jonathan
FieldAaronJonathan
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningBest known as the name of Moses's elder brother and the first high priest of Israel in the Old Testament; the literal meaning of the name itself is not reliably established.Not yet recorded
OriginBiblical Hebrew (likely of Egyptian origin)Not yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈɛrən/Not yet recorded
Syllables23
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #71 (2025)Norway · Boys #93 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10076/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Aaron has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew (likely of Egyptian origin)); Jonathan does not have one recorded yet.
  • Aaron has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Jonathan.
  • A meaning is recorded for Aaron; Jonathan doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Aaron

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1965

    First recorded at #222 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1965–2025

    Highest recorded position: #6 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1998 (recorded 1965–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #180 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Jonathan

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1949

    First recorded at #371 among boys in Norway in 1949 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1957–2013

    Highest recorded position: #15 among boys in New Zealand, in 1982 (recorded 1957–2013).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #296 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys