Caleb vs James

Caleb 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, Caleb was ranked #26 and James #1 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Caleb was ranked #108 and James #4 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Caleb was ranked #42 and James #14 among boys in Scotland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Caleb was ranked #45 and James #15 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2024, Caleb was ranked #97 and James #21 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Caleb was ranked #75 and James #40 among boys in England and Wales.

Caleb and James over time

Caleb and James appear together in 5 published lists, across 158 years of shared records. James held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Caleb in 0.

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

James reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Caleb 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 42 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Caleb and James averaged 39.4 places apart, ending at #45 and #15.
Longest-running competitions
Caleb and James were both ranked in New Zealand · Boys for 42 years, from 1982 to 2023, ending at #45 and #15.

List by list

New Zealand · Boys42 shared years, 1982–2023
Caleb held the stronger position in 0 of those years, James in 42.
Highest recorded here: Caleb #12 in 1999, James #2 in 1993.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Caleb #45, James #15.
Republic of Ireland · Boys34 shared years, 1983–2025
Caleb held the stronger position in 0 of those years, James in 34.
Highest recorded here: Caleb #91 in 2024, James #1 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Caleb #108, James #4.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Caleb held the stronger position in 0 of those years, James in 29.
Highest recorded here: Caleb #72 in 2023, James #2 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Caleb #75, James #40.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Caleb held the stronger position in 0 of those years, James in 28.
Highest recorded here: Caleb #20 in 2023, James #1 in 2015.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Caleb #26, James #1.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys25 shared years, 1996–2024
Caleb held the stronger position in 0 of those years, James in 25.
Highest recorded here: Caleb #51 in 2001, James #3 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Caleb #97, James #21.

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 James

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

James vs Jordan
In 1997 they stood at #3 and #6 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 3 places apart; by 2024 they were #1 and #404.
James · Jordan · 28 shared years, 1997–2024 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2024 Northern Ireland ranking
James vs Gerard
In 1964 they stood at #5 and #10 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 5 places apart; by 2025 they were #4 and #348.
James · Gerard · 62 shared years, 1964–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2025 Republic of Ireland ranking
James vs Timothy
Over 52 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, James rose about as far as Timothy fell — from #20 and #61 in 1954 to #5 and #100 in 2005.
James · Timothy · 52 shared years, 1954–2005 · Mirrored each other
See the 2005 New Zealand ranking
James vs Daniel
James and Daniel changed places 12 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1954 and 2023, ending at #15 and #53.
James · Daniel · 69 shared years, 1954–2023 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
See the 2023 New Zealand ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Caleb, James
Field	Caleb	James
Record type	Official statistical record (evidence-only)	Editorially researched profile
Gender usage	male	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 #108 (2025)	Republic of Ireland · Boys #4 (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	high

What the data shows

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

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

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