Aodan vs Jan
Aodan 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 · Boys
In 2017, Aodan was ranked #710 and Jan #166 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2015, Aodan was ranked #415 and Jan #259 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2000, Aodan was ranked #3036 and Jan #1048 among boys in England and Wales.
Aodan and Jan over time
Aodan and Jan appear together in 1 published list, across 15 years of shared records. Jan held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Aodan 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.
Aodan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Jan 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.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys15 shared years, 1973–2017
Aodan held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Jan in 11.
Highest recorded here: Aodan #254 in 1973, Jan #114 in 2012.
The order changed in 2006: Jan moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #375 and #500; by 2006 that had become #493 and #247.
Most recent shared year, 2017: Aodan #710, Jan #166.
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 | Aodan | Jan |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | 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 | Republic of Ireland · Boys #710 (2017) | 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); Aodan does not have one recorded yet.
- Aodan has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Jan.
- A meaning is recorded for Jan; Aodan doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
Aodan
Popularity journey
First recorded1973
First recorded at #254 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1973 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1973–2017
Highest recorded position: #254 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1973 (recorded 1973–2017).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2017
Most recently recorded at #710 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2017.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
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