Adrian vs Jonathon
Adrian and Jonathoncompared 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.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1994, Adrian was ranked #62 and Jonathon #95 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1985, Adrian was ranked #94 and Jonathon #77 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2019, Adrian was ranked #199 and Jonathon #646 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2020, Adrian was ranked #243 and Jonathon #3848 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2005, Adrian was ranked #307 and Jonathon #265 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Adrian and Jonathon over time
Adrian and Jonathon appear together in 4 published lists, across 76 years of shared records. Adrian held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Jonathon in 1.
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.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.
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.
- Longest-running competitions
Adrian and Jonathon were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 30 years, from 1974 to 2019, ending at #199 and #646.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — Adrian #40 in 1983, Jonathon #74 in 1983.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys30 shared years, 1974–2019
Adrian held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Jonathon in 1.
Highest recorded here: Adrian #46 in 1974, Jonathon #110 in 1999.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Adrian #199, Jonathon #646.
England and Wales · Boys25 shared years, 1996–2020
Adrian held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Jonathon in 3.
Highest recorded here: Adrian #190 in 2009, Jonathon #175 in 1996.
The order changed in 1999: Adrian moved ahead. In 1998 they stood at #256 and #218; by 1999 that had become #258 and #279.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Adrian #243, Jonathon #3848.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys13 shared years, 1981–1994
Adrian held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Jonathon in 0.
Highest recorded here: Adrian #40 in 1983, Jonathon #74 in 1983.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1994: Adrian #62, Jonathon #95.
Northern Ireland · Boys8 shared years, 1997–2005
Adrian held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Jonathon in 4.
Highest recorded here: Adrian #153 in 1997, Jonathon #109 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2005: Adrian #307, Jonathon #265.
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 | Adrian | Jonathon |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | From the Latin name Hadrianus. Borne by several saints and six popes, including the only English pope, Adrian IV. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Latin | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈeɪ.dɹi.ən/ | 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, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Boys #70 (2025) | England and Wales · Boys #3848 (2020) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 76/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Adrian has a recorded origin (Latin); Jonathon does not have one recorded yet.
- Adrian has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Jonathon.
- A meaning is recorded for Adrian; Jonathon doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Adrian
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #87 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 recorded1958–2025
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in Norway, in 2005 (recorded 1958–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #70 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys
Jonathon
Popularity journey
First recorded1974
First recorded at #321 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1974 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1981–1994
Highest recorded position: #74 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1983 (recorded 1981–1994).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2020
Most recently recorded at #3848 among boys in England and Wales, in 2020.
England and Wales · Boys