Namewise

Colin vs Jacob

Colin 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 2021, Colin was ranked #433 and Jacob #16 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Colin was ranked #1538 and Jacob #41 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, Colin was ranked #119 and Jacob #59 among boys in Norway.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Colin was ranked #348 and Jacob #62 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 1983, Colin was ranked #90 and Jacob #64 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

Colin and Jacob over time

Colin and Jacob appear together in 4 published lists, across 135 years of shared records. Jacob held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Colin in 1.

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.

Colin reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Jacob 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.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys44 shared years, 1946–2025

    Colin held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Jacob in 43.

    Highest recorded here: Colin #119 in 2025, Jacob #34 in 2017.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Colin #119, Jacob #59.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys40 shared years, 1980–2025

    Colin held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Jacob in 19.

    Highest recorded here: Colin #44 in 1987, Jacob #37 in 2016.

    The order changed in 2009: Jacob moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #105 and #110; by 2009 that had become #123 and #111.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Colin #348, Jacob #62.

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

    Colin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jacob in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Colin #311 in 1997, Jacob #4 in 2013.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Colin #1538, Jacob #41.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys21 shared years, 1997–2021

    Colin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jacob in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Colin #96 in 1997, Jacob #5 in 2017.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2021: Colin #433, Jacob #16.

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 Colin

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

Other comparisons involving Jacob

Pairs where Jacob 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 — started together, ended far apart.

All started together, ended far apart→

Other pairs from Northern Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Northern 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.

Northern 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 Colin, Jacob
FieldColinJacob
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedCommonly 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'.
OriginNot yet recordedBiblical Hebrew, via Greek and Latin
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˈdʒeɪkəb/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Boys #119 (2025)England and Wales · Boys #41 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Jacob has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew, via Greek and Latin); Colin does not have one recorded yet.
  • Colin and Jacob both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Jacob; Colin doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Colin

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1946

    First recorded at #326 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1952–1983

    Highest recorded position: #22 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1983).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1538 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Jacob

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #4 among boys in England and Wales, in 2013 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #41 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys