Ailis vs Jan
Ailis and Jancompared 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 · Girls
In 1997, Ailis was ranked #363 and Jan #576 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2010, Ailis was ranked #5707 and Jan #4688 among girls in England and Wales.
Ailis and Jan over time
Ailis and Jan appear together in 1 published list, across 8 years of shared records. Ailis held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Jan 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.
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.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls8 shared years, 1964–1997
Ailis held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Jan in 1.
Highest recorded here: Ailis #327 in 1964, Jan #327 in 1964.
The order changed in 1997: Ailis moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #492 and #492; by 1997 that had become #363 and #576.
Most recent shared year, 1997: Ailis #363, Jan #576.
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 | Ailis | Jan |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | A form of Johannes used across many European languages, from Hebrew Yochanan via Greek Ioannes — 'Yahweh is gracious'. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Hebrew, via Dutch/Scandinavian/Central European transmission |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈjɑːn/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| 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 | England and Wales · Girls #4645 (2022) | Norway · Boys #149 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Jan has a recorded origin (Hebrew, via Dutch/Scandinavian/Central European transmission); Ailis does not have one recorded yet.
- Ailis has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Jan.
- A meaning is recorded for Jan; Ailis doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
Ailis
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #327 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1997–2001
Highest recorded position: #293 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2001 (recorded 1997–2001).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2022
Most recently recorded at #4645 among girls in England and Wales, in 2022.
England and Wales · Girls
Jan
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #2 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Norway, in 1946 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #149 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys