Brodie vs James
Brodie and Jamescompared 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.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Brodie was ranked #84 and James #1 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Brodie was ranked #223 and James #4 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2003, Brodie was ranked #81 and James #8 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2008, Brodie was ranked #92 and James #9 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Brodie was ranked #16 and James #14 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Brodie was ranked #139 and James #40 among boys in England and Wales.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2020, Brodie was ranked #2163 and James #5493 among girls in England and Wales.
Brodie and James over time
Brodie and James appear together in 4 published lists, across 81 years of shared records. James held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Brodie in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
James reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Brodie 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
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Brodie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, James in 29.
Highest recorded here: Brodie #135 in 2022, James #2 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Brodie #139, James #40.
Northern Ireland · Boys22 shared years, 2003–2024
Brodie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, James in 22.
Highest recorded here: Brodie #63 in 2023, James #1 in 2015.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Brodie #84, James #1.
Republic of Ireland · Boys19 shared years, 2006–2025
Brodie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, James in 19.
Highest recorded here: Brodie #192 in 2022, James #1 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Brodie #223, James #4.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys11 shared years, 1994–2008
Brodie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, James in 11.
Highest recorded here: Brodie #70 in 2006, James #3 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2008: Brodie #92, James #9.
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 | Brodie | James |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | Used for both boys and girls | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Supplanter, held by the heel (traditional interpretation via Jacob). |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Hebrew, via Late Latin Iacomus |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈdʒeɪmz/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Jim, Jamie, Iacomus |
| 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 · Boys #223 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #4 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- James has a recorded origin (Hebrew, via Late Latin Iacomus); Brodie does not have one recorded yet.
- Brodie and James both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for James; Brodie 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 Brodie a "medium" Data Confidence level and James a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Brodie
Popularity journey
First recorded1994
First recorded at #79 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1994 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded2024–2024
Highest recorded position: #16 among boys in Scotland, in 2024 (recorded 2024–2024).
Scotland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #223 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
James
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #344 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2015 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #15 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys