Namewise

Adam vs Jonathan

Adam 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, Adam was ranked #20 and Jonathan #223 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Adam was ranked #26 and Jonathan #296 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, Adam was ranked #29 and Jonathan #93 among boys in Norway.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Adam was ranked #38 and Jonathan #305 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Adam was ranked #42 and Jonathan #352 among boys in Scotland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2016, Adam was ranked #43 and Jonathan #97 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2013, Adam was ranked #71 and Jonathan #88 among boys in New Zealand.

Adam and Jonathan over time

Adam and Jonathan appear together in 6 published lists, across 280 years of shared records. Adam 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 4 of those lists, Adam 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 1998, Adam moved ahead of Jonathan in New Zealand · Boys — #52 and #50 the year before became #44 and #48.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Adam and Jonathan changed places 7 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1965 and 2013, ending at #71 and #88.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 54 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Adam and Jonathan averaged 42.4 places apart, ending at #43 and #97.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 61 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Adam rose about as far as Jonathan fell — from #157 and #137 in 1965 to #20 and #223 in 2025.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Adam and Jonathan were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #26 and #296.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Adam #16 in 1996, Jonathan #39 in 1996.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys63 shared years, 1958–2025

    Adam held the stronger position in 39 of those years, Jonathan in 24.

    Highest recorded here: Adam #15 in 2023, Jonathan #32 in 2011.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Adam #29, Jonathan #93.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys61 shared years, 1965–2025

    Adam held the stronger position in 35 of those years, Jonathan in 26.

    Highest recorded here: Adam #3 in 2001, Jonathan #18 in 1981.

    The order changed in 1991: Adam moved ahead. In 1990 they stood at #44 and #33; by 1991 that had become #31 and #36.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Adam #20, Jonathan #223.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys54 shared years, 1963–2016

    Adam held the stronger position in 54 of those years, Jonathan in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Adam #7 in 1979, Jonathan #41 in 1980.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2016: Adam #43, Jonathan #97.

  • New Zealand · Boys44 shared years, 1965–2013

    Adam held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Jonathan in 25.

    Highest recorded here: Adam #13 in 1986, Jonathan #15 in 1982.

    The order changed in 1998: Adam moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #52 and #50; by 1998 that had become #44 and #48.

    Most recent shared year, 2013: Adam #71, Jonathan #88.

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

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

    Highest recorded here: Adam #16 in 1996, Jonathan #39 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Adam #26, Jonathan #296.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

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

    Highest recorded here: Adam #3 in 2001, Jonathan #20 in 1998.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Adam #38, 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 Adam

Pairs where Adam 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 — mirrored each other.

All mirrored each other→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

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

Republic of Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Adam, Jonathan
FieldAdamJonathan
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningTraditionally understood as the Hebrew word for 'man', with a wordplay connection in Genesis to 'ground/earth', since Adam is described as formed from earth.Not yet recorded
OriginBiblical HebrewNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈædəm/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 #20 (2025)Norway · Boys #93 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10076/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Adam has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Jonathan does not have one recorded yet.
  • Adam has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Jonathan.
  • A meaning is recorded for Adam; 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

Adam

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #380 among boys in Norway in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1997–2024

    Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2001 (recorded 1997–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #26 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