David vs Jean
David and Jeancompared 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 2024, David was ranked #40 and Jean #655 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, David was ranked #64 and Jean #2921 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2010, David was ranked #66 and Jean #472 among boys in Norway.
David and Jean over time
David and Jean appear together in 3 published lists, across 93 years of shared records. David held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Jean in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
David reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Jean 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.
- Mirrored each other
Over 53 shared years in Norway · Boys, David rose about as far as Jean fell — from #165 and #314 in 1946 to #66 and #472 in 2010.
- Longest-running competitions
David and Jean were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 53 years, from 1946 to 2010, ending at #66 and #472.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Norway · Boys within 2 years — David #31 in 2005, Jean #306 in 2004.
List by list
Norway · Boys53 shared years, 1946–2010
David held the stronger position in 53 of those years, Jean in 0.
Highest recorded here: David #31 in 2005, Jean #306 in 2004.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2010: David #66, Jean #472.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
David held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Jean in 0.
Highest recorded here: David #32 in 1996, Jean #912 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: David #64, Jean #2921.
Republic of Ireland · Boys11 shared years, 1969–2024
David held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Jean in 0.
Highest recorded here: David #2 in 1978, Jean #263 in 1994.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: David #40, Jean #655.
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 | David | Jean |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | Used for both boys and girls |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'beloved', with a possible secondary sense of 'uncle' for the root. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdeɪvɪd/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #45 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #885 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- David has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Jean does not have one recorded yet.
- David has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Jean.
- A meaning is recorded for David; Jean 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
David
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #167 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2018
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1961 (recorded 1952–2018).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #88 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys
Jean
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #314 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #61 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1965 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #885 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls