Caleb vs Jacob

Caleb and Jacobcompared 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, Caleb was ranked #26 and Jacob #13 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Caleb was ranked #42 and Jacob #27 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Caleb was ranked #75 and Jacob #30 among boys in England and Wales.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2024, Caleb was ranked #97 and Jacob #34 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Caleb was ranked #45 and Jacob #66 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Caleb was ranked #108 and Jacob #62 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

Caleb and Jacob over time

Caleb and Jacob appear together in 5 published lists, across 157 years of shared records. Jacob held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Caleb 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.

Jacob reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Caleb 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.

One took the other's place near the top
In New Zealand · Boys, Caleb moved into the top 50 at #45 in 2023 as Jacob fell out of it to #66, having been #49 the year before.
One moved ahead of the other
In 2023, Caleb moved ahead of Jacob in New Zealand · Boys — #64 and #49 the year before became #45 and #66.
Repeatedly exchanged positions
Caleb and Jacob changed places 5 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1982 and 2023, ending at #45 and #66.
Closest over the longest run
Across 25 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Caleb and Jacob averaged 54.0 places apart, ending at #97 and #34.
Longest-running competitions
Caleb and Jacob were both ranked in New Zealand · Boys for 42 years, from 1982 to 2023, ending at #45 and #66.
Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — Caleb #51 in 2001, Jacob #10 in 1999.

List by list

New Zealand · Boys42 shared years, 1982–2023
Caleb held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Jacob in 39.
Highest recorded here: Caleb #12 in 1999, Jacob #6 in 2003.
The order changed in 2023: Caleb moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #64 and #49; by 2023 that had become #45 and #66.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Caleb #45, Jacob #66.
Republic of Ireland · Boys33 shared years, 1990–2025
Caleb held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jacob in 32.
Highest recorded here: Caleb #91 in 2024, Jacob #37 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Caleb #108, Jacob #62.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Caleb held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jacob in 29.
Highest recorded here: Caleb #72 in 2023, Jacob #4 in 2013.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Caleb #75, Jacob #30.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Caleb held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Jacob in 26.
Highest recorded here: Caleb #20 in 2023, Jacob #5 in 2017.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Caleb #26, Jacob #13.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys25 shared years, 1996–2024
Caleb held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jacob in 25.
Highest recorded here: Caleb #51 in 2001, Jacob #10 in 1999.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Caleb #97, Jacob #34.

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 Caleb

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

Oliver vs Caleb
Oliver and Caleb both rose over the same years in 4 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.
Oliver · Caleb · 42 shared years, 1983–2025 · Moved together in several countries
Alfie vs Caleb
Alfie and Caleb both rose over the same years in 3 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.
Alfie · Caleb · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Moved together in several countries
Archie vs Caleb
Archie and Caleb both rose over the same years in 3 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.
Archie · Caleb · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Moved together in several countries
Arthur vs Caleb
Arthur and Caleb both rose over the same years in 3 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.
Arthur · Caleb · 34 shared years, 1983–2025 · Moved together in several countries

Other comparisons involving Jacob

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

Jacob vs Ashley
In 1996 they stood at #35 and #40 in England and Wales · Boys, 5 places apart; by 2024 they were #30 and #880.
Jacob · Ashley · 29 shared years, 1996–2024 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2024 England and Wales ranking
Jacob vs Ben
In 1996 they stood at #35 and #34 in England and Wales · Boys, 1 places apart; by 2024 they were #30 and #509.
Jacob · Ben · 29 shared years, 1996–2024 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2024 England and Wales ranking
Jacob vs Colin
In 1997 they stood at #94 and #96 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 2 places apart; by 2021 they were #16 and #433.
Jacob · Colin · 21 shared years, 1997–2021 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2021 Northern Ireland ranking
Jacob vs Barry
In 1997 they stood at #94 and #90 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 4 places apart; by 2022 they were #19 and #414.
Jacob · Barry · 21 shared years, 1997–2022 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2022 Northern Ireland ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Caleb, Jacob
Field	Caleb	Jacob
Record type	Official statistical record (evidence-only)	Editorially researched profile
Gender usage	male	male
Meaning	Not yet recorded	Commonly interpreted as 'holder of the heel' or 'supplanter', referencing the biblical account of Jacob being born grasping his twin brother Esau's heel. A less common alternate theory holds it may derive from a longer form meaning roughly 'may God protect'.
Origin	Not yet recorded	Biblical Hebrew, via Greek and Latin
Pronunciation	Not yet recorded	/ˈdʒeɪkəb/
Syllables	2	2
Common variants / nicknames	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
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 #108 (2025)	New South Wales, Australia · Boys #42 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	Not yet recorded	90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	94/100	94/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	100/100	100/100
Data Confidence	medium	medium

What the data shows

Jacob has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew, via Greek and Latin); Caleb does not have one recorded yet.
Caleb and Jacob both have 2 syllables.
A meaning is recorded for Jacob; Caleb 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

Caleb

Popularity journey

First recorded1982
First recorded at #98 among boys in New Zealand in 1982 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Boys
Highest recorded1982–2023
Highest recorded position: #12 among boys in New Zealand, in 1999 (recorded 1982–2023).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #108 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys

Jacob

Popularity journey

First recorded1945
First recorded at #273 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: #4 among boys in England and Wales, in 2013 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #42 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys