Craig vs Jack
Craig and Jackcompared 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, Craig was ranked #516 and Jack #1 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2015, Craig was ranked #415 and Jack #2 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Craig was ranked #478 and Jack #7 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Craig was ranked #2263 and Jack #22 among boys in England and Wales.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1991, Craig was ranked #97 and Jack #26 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1992, Craig was ranked #90 and Jack #46 among boys in New Zealand.
Craig and Jack over time
Craig and Jack appear together in 3 published lists, across 96 years of shared records. Jack held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Craig 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.
Craig reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Jack 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 1993, Jack moved ahead of Craig in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #44 and #50 the year before became #48 and #32.
- Mirrored each other
Over 50 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Jack rose about as far as Craig fell — from #235 and #305 in 1970 to #516 and #1 in 2023.
- Longest-running competitions
Craig and Jack were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 50 years, from 1970 to 2023, ending at #516 and #1.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Craig #81 in 1996, Jack #1 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys50 shared years, 1970–2023
Craig held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Jack in 30.
Highest recorded here: Craig #39 in 1990, Jack #1 in 2000.
The order changed in 1993: Jack moved ahead. In 1992 they stood at #44 and #50; by 1993 that had become #48 and #32.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Craig #516, Jack #1.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Craig held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jack in 29.
Highest recorded here: Craig #81 in 1996, Jack #1 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Craig #2263, Jack #22.
Northern Ireland · Boys17 shared years, 1997–2015
Craig held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jack in 17.
Highest recorded here: Craig #68 in 1997, Jack #1 in 2001.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2015: Craig #415, Jack #2.
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 | Craig | Jack |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | From the Scottish surname derived from Gaelic 'creag', meaning 'crag, rocks, outcrop' — originally denoting someone who lived near a crag. | God is gracious (via John), though now used as an independent name. |
| Origin | Scottish Gaelic (surname origin) | English, historically a diminutive of John |
| Pronunciation | /ˈkɹeɪɡ/ | /ˈdʒæk/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Jankin |
| 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 | Scotland · Boys #478 (2024) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #2 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Craig is recorded with a Scottish Gaelic (surname origin) origin, while Jack is recorded with a English, historically a diminutive of John origin.
- Craig and Jack both have 1 syllable.
- Craig's recorded meaning differs from Jack's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Craig a "medium" Data Confidence level and Jack a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Craig
Popularity journey
First recorded1953
First recorded at #79 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1953 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1992
Highest recorded position: #6 among boys in New Zealand, in 1971 (recorded 1954–1992).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2263 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys
Jack
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #171 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: #1 among boys in England and Wales, in 1996 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #10 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys