Andrew vs John
Andrew and Johncompared 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, Andrew was ranked #106 and John #29 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2013, Andrew was ranked #75 and John #60 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Andrew was ranked #216 and John #67 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Andrew was ranked #104 and John #78 among boys in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2016, Andrew was ranked #89 and John #95 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Norway · Boys
In 2021, Andrew was ranked #458 and John #147 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Andrew was ranked #315 and John #164 among boys in England and Wales.
Andrew and John over time
Andrew and John appear together in 6 published lists, across 300 years of shared records. John held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Andrew in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
John reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Andrew in none. 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 2002, John moved ahead of Andrew in England and Wales · Boys — #56 and #58 the year before became #66 and #64.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Andrew and John changed places 4 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1954 and 2013, ending at #75 and #60.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Andrew and John averaged 55.3 places apart, ending at #315 and #164.
- Longest-running competitions
Andrew and John were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 62 years, from 1952 to 2016, ending at #89 and #95.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Andrew #29 in 1996, John #46 in 1996.
List by list
New South Wales, Australia · Boys62 shared years, 1952–2016
Andrew held the stronger position in 45 of those years, John in 17.
Highest recorded here: Andrew #4 in 1970, John #1 in 1952.
The order changed in 2016: Andrew moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #87 and #80; by 2016 that had become #89 and #95.
Most recent shared year, 2016: Andrew #89, John #95.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Andrew held the stronger position in 0 of those years, John in 62.
Highest recorded here: Andrew #16 in 1992, John #1 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Andrew #106, John #29.
Norway · Boys61 shared years, 1946–2021
Andrew held the stronger position in 0 of those years, John in 61.
Highest recorded here: Andrew #206 in 1963, John #12 in 1955.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Andrew #458, John #147.
New Zealand · Boys58 shared years, 1954–2013
Andrew held the stronger position in 37 of those years, John in 21.
Highest recorded here: Andrew #2 in 1975, John #1 in 1954.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2013: Andrew #75, John #60.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Andrew held the stronger position in 6 of those years, John in 23.
Highest recorded here: Andrew #29 in 1996, John #46 in 1996.
The order changed in 2002: John moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #56 and #58; by 2002 that had become #66 and #64.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Andrew #315, John #164.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Andrew held the stronger position in 6 of those years, John in 20.
Highest recorded here: Andrew #5 in 1997, John #17 in 1997.
The order changed in 2003: John moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #19 and #23; by 2003 that had become #26 and #19.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Andrew #216, John #67.
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 | Andrew | John |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | The English form of Greek Andreas, from 'andreios' ('manly, masculine'), itself from 'aner' ('man'). The apostle Andrew was the first disciple to join Jesus and is patron saint of Scotland. | From Hebrew Yochanan, 'Yahweh is gracious', via Greek Ioannes and Latin Iohannes. One of the most widespread names in Christian Europe, associated with both John the Baptist and the apostle John. |
| Origin | Greek, biblical | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈæn.dɹuː/ | /ˈjɔn/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| 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 #106 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #29 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Andrew is recorded with a Greek, biblical origin, while John is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Andrew has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for John.
- Andrew's recorded meaning differs from John's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Andrew
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #344 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1954–2013
Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in New Zealand, in 1975 (recorded 1954–2013).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #106 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
John
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #20 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2019
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–2019).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #161 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys