Namewise

Brendan vs John

Brendan 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.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 1991, Brendan was ranked #94 and John #26 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Brendan was ranked #402 and John #29 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Brendan was ranked #404 and John #67 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2004, Brendan was ranked #92 and John #70 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Brendan was ranked #619 and John #78 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Brendan was ranked #1613 and John #174 among boys in England and Wales.

Brendan and John over time

Brendan and John appear together in 5 published lists, across 186 years of shared records. John held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Brendan in 0.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

John reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Brendan 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.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 40 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Brendan and John averaged 29.0 places apart, ending at #92 and #70.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Brendan and John were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1613 and #174.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Brendan #157 in 1998, John #46 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Brendan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, John in 62.

    Highest recorded here: Brendan #16 in 1965, John #1 in 1964.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Brendan #402, John #29.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys40 shared years, 1965–2004

    Brendan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, John in 40.

    Highest recorded here: Brendan #25 in 1985, John #5 in 1965.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2004: Brendan #92, John #70.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Brendan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, John in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Brendan #157 in 1998, John #46 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Brendan #1613, John #174.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Brendan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, John in 28.

    Highest recorded here: Brendan #73 in 1997, John #17 in 1997.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Brendan #404, John #67.

  • New Zealand · Boys26 shared years, 1966–1991

    Brendan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, John in 26.

    Highest recorded here: Brendan #53 in 1982, John #5 in 1966.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 1991: Brendan #94, John #26.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Brendan

Pairs where Brendan shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving John

Pairs where John shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — peaked in the same years.

All peaked in the same years→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Republic of Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Republic of Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Brendan, John
FieldBrendanJohn
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedFrom 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.
OriginNot yet recordedBiblical Hebrew
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˈjɔn/
Syllables21
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #402 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #29 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • John has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Brendan does not have one recorded yet.
  • Brendan has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for John.
  • A meaning is recorded for John; Brendan doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Brendan

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #17 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #16 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1965 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1613 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

John

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1952–2019

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–2019).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #174 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys