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.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Adam was ranked #29 and Jonathan #93 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Adam was ranked #35 and Jonathan #302 among boys in England and Wales.
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 279 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 New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 54 years, from 1963 to 2016, ending at #43 and #97.
- 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 · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Adam held the stronger position in 29 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, 2024: Adam #35, Jonathan #302.
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.
Side by side
| Field | Adam | Jonathan |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Traditionally 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 |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈædəm/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #20 (2025) | Norway · Boys #93 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 76/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
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
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
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2001 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #72 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Jonathan
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1957–2013
Highest recorded position: #15 among boys in New Zealand, in 1982 (recorded 1957–2013).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #93 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys