Namewise

Daniel vs Jonathan

Daniel and Jonathancompared 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 2025, Daniel was ranked #13 and Jonathan #223 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2013, Daniel was ranked #15 and Jonathan #88 among boys in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2016, Daniel was ranked #29 and Jonathan #97 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Daniel was ranked #37 and Jonathan #305 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Daniel was ranked #52 and Jonathan #352 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Daniel was ranked #62 and Jonathan #296 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, Daniel was ranked #66 and Jonathan #93 among boys in Norway.

Daniel and Jonathan over time

Daniel and Jonathan appear together in 6 published lists, across 289 years of shared records. Daniel held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Jonathan in 0.

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

Daniel reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Jonathan in 2. 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

    Daniel and Jonathan changed places 6 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1957 and 2013, ending at #15 and #88.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 54 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Daniel and Jonathan averaged 54.2 places apart, ending at #29 and #97.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Daniel and Jonathan were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #62 and #296.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Daniel #2 in 1996, Jonathan #39 in 1996.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1997 they stood at #12 and #21 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 9 places apart; by 2024 they were #37 and #305.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys64 shared years, 1949–2025

    Daniel held the stronger position in 64 of those years, Jonathan in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Daniel #3 in 1989, Jonathan #32 in 2011.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Daniel #66, Jonathan #93.

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

    Daniel held the stronger position in 59 of those years, Jonathan in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Daniel #3 in 2009, Jonathan #18 in 1981.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Daniel #13, Jonathan #223.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys54 shared years, 1963–2016

    Daniel held the stronger position in 54 of those years, Jonathan in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Daniel #2 in 1979, Jonathan #41 in 1980.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2016: Daniel #29, Jonathan #97.

  • New Zealand · Boys51 shared years, 1957–2013

    Daniel held the stronger position in 44 of those years, Jonathan in 7.

    Highest recorded here: Daniel #1 in 1980, Jonathan #15 in 1982.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2013: Daniel #15, Jonathan #88.

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

    Daniel held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Jonathan in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Daniel #2 in 1996, Jonathan #39 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Daniel #62, Jonathan #296.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Daniel held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Jonathan in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Daniel #2 in 2010, Jonathan #20 in 1998.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Daniel #37, Jonathan #305.

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 Daniel

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

Other comparisons involving Jonathan

Pairs where Jonathan 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 Zealand lists

Pairs measured inside New Zealand'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 Zealand overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2010s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2010 and 2019.

The 2010s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Daniel, Jonathan
FieldDanielJonathan
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningCommonly interpreted as 'God is my judge', referencing the biblical prophet Daniel.Not yet recorded
OriginBiblical HebrewNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈdænjəl/Not yet recorded
Syllables23
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #13 (2025)Norway · Boys #93 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10076/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Daniel has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Jonathan does not have one recorded yet.
  • Daniel has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Jonathan.
  • A meaning is recorded for Daniel; Jonathan doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Daniel

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #280 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 recorded1954–2023

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New Zealand, in 1980 (recorded 1954–2023).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #62 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Jonathan

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1949

    First recorded at #371 among boys in Norway in 1949 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1957–2013

    Highest recorded position: #15 among boys in New Zealand, in 1982 (recorded 1957–2013).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #296 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys