Cornelius vs James
Cornelius 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.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2023, Cornelius was ranked #770 and James #3 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Cornelius was ranked #4270 and James #40 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Cornelius was ranked #232 and James #355 among boys in Norway.
Cornelius and James over time
Cornelius and James appear together in 3 published lists, across 114 years of shared records. James held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Cornelius 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.
Cornelius reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, James 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Cornelius and James changed places 11 times in Norway · Boys between 1990 and 2025, ending at #232 and #355.
- Longest-running competitions
Cornelius and James were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 30 years, from 1990 to 2025, ending at #232 and #355.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys55 shared years, 1964–2023
Cornelius held the stronger position in 0 of those years, James in 55.
Highest recorded here: Cornelius #39 in 1964, James #1 in 1994.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Cornelius #770, James #3.
Norway · Boys30 shared years, 1990–2025
Cornelius held the stronger position in 19 of those years, James in 11.
Highest recorded here: Cornelius #206 in 2013, James #264 in 2024.
The order changed in 2025: Cornelius moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #321 and #264; by 2025 that had become #232 and #355.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Cornelius #232, James #355.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Cornelius held the stronger position in 0 of those years, James in 29.
Highest recorded here: Cornelius #1498 in 2004, James #2 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Cornelius #4270, James #40.
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 | Cornelius | 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 | /ˈdʒeɪmz/ | |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Jim, Jamie, Iacomus |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, IE, NO | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Boys #232 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #4 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 70/100 | 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); Cornelius does not have one recorded yet.
- Cornelius has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for James.
- A meaning is recorded for James; Cornelius doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE, NO.
- The available evidence gives Cornelius 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
Cornelius
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #39 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2023
Highest recorded position: #39 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2023).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #232 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · 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