Bailey vs Jack
Bailey and Jackcompared 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 Zealand · Boys
In 2008, Bailey was ranked #68 and Jack #1 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2023, Bailey was ranked #516 and Jack #1 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2014, Bailey was ranked #85 and Jack #4 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Bailey was ranked #256 and Jack #4 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Bailey was ranked #268 and Jack #7 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Bailey was ranked #249 and Jack #22 among boys in England and Wales.
Bailey and Jack over time
Bailey and Jack appear together in 5 published lists, across 111 years of shared records. Jack held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Bailey in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Jack reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Bailey 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.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — Bailey #23 in 2004, Jack #1 in 2003.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Bailey held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jack in 29.
Highest recorded here: Bailey #62 in 2005, Jack #1 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Bailey #249, Jack #22.
Northern Ireland · Boys27 shared years, 1997–2024
Bailey held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jack in 27.
Highest recorded here: Bailey #83 in 2002, Jack #1 in 2001.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Bailey #256, Jack #4.
Republic of Ireland · Boys23 shared years, 1998–2023
Bailey held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jack in 23.
Highest recorded here: Bailey #232 in 2006, Jack #1 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Bailey #516, Jack #1.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys19 shared years, 1996–2014
Bailey held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jack in 19.
Highest recorded here: Bailey #23 in 2004, Jack #1 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2014: Bailey #85, Jack #4.
New Zealand · Boys13 shared years, 1996–2008
Bailey held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jack in 13.
Highest recorded here: Bailey #30 in 1999, Jack #1 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2008: Bailey #68, Jack #1.
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 | Bailey | Jack |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | God is gracious (via John), though now used as an independent name. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | English, historically a diminutive of John |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈdʒæk/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Jankin |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #608 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #2 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Jack has a recorded origin (English, historically a diminutive of John); Bailey does not have one recorded yet.
- Bailey has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Jack.
- A meaning is recorded for Jack; Bailey doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Bailey a "medium" Data Confidence level and Jack a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Bailey
Popularity journey
First recorded1996
First recorded at #848 among girls in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2014
Highest recorded position: #23 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2004 (recorded 1996–2014).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #608 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Jack
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #171 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in England and Wales, in 1996 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #10 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys