Namewise

Colin vs John

Colin 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 1975, Colin was ranked #99 and John #15 among boys in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 1983, Colin was ranked #90 and John #19 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Colin was ranked #348 and John #29 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2021, Colin was ranked #433 and John #48 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, Colin was ranked #119 and John #161 among boys in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Colin was ranked #1538 and John #174 among boys in England and Wales.

Colin and John over time

Colin and John appear together in 6 published lists, across 210 years of shared records. John held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Colin 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.

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

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 2025, Colin moved ahead of John in Norway · Boys — #162 and #136 the year before became #119 and #161.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 32 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Colin and John averaged 40.7 places apart, ending at #90 and #19.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Colin and John were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1538 and #174.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Colin #311 in 1997, John #46 in 1996.

List by list

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

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

    Highest recorded here: Colin #38 in 1985, John #1 in 1964.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Colin #348, John #29.

  • Norway · Boys44 shared years, 1946–2025

    Colin held the stronger position in 2 of those years, John in 42.

    Highest recorded here: Colin #119 in 2025, John #15 in 1964.

    The order changed in 2025: Colin moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #162 and #136; by 2025 that had become #119 and #161.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Colin #119, John #161.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys32 shared years, 1952–1983

    Colin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, John in 32.

    Highest recorded here: Colin #22 in 1952, John #1 in 1952.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1983: Colin #90, John #19.

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

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

    Highest recorded here: Colin #311 in 1997, John #46 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Colin #1538, John #174.

  • New Zealand · Boys21 shared years, 1954–1975

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

    Highest recorded here: Colin #25 in 1955, John #1 in 1954.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1975: Colin #99, John #15.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys21 shared years, 1997–2021

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

    Highest recorded here: Colin #96 in 1997, John #17 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2021: Colin #433, John #48.

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 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 New South Wales, Australia lists

Pairs measured inside New South Wales, Australia's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New South Wales, Australia overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 1980s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1980 and 1989.

The 1980s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Colin, John
FieldColinJohn
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, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Boys #119 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #29 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • John has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Colin does not have one recorded yet.
  • Colin has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for John.
  • A meaning is recorded for John; 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

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