David vs Johnny
David and Johnnycompared 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, David was ranked #45 and Johnny #252 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, David was ranked #64 and Johnny #494 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, David was ranked #71 and Johnny #432 among boys in Scotland.
Norway · Boys
In 2023, David was ranked #76 and Johnny #518 among boys in Norway.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, David was ranked #104 and Johnny #339 among boys in Northern Ireland.
David and Johnny over time
David and Johnny appear together in 4 published lists, across 158 years of shared records. David held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Johnny 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.
David reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Johnny 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1975, David moved ahead of Johnny in Norway · Boys — #99 and #89 the year before became #93 and #122.
- Longest-running competitions
David and Johnny were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 64 years, from 1945 to 2023, ending at #76 and #518.
List by list
Norway · Boys64 shared years, 1945–2023
David held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Johnny in 30.
Highest recorded here: David #38 in 2003, Johnny #44 in 1956.
The order changed in 1975: David moved ahead. In 1974 they stood at #99 and #89; by 1975 that had become #93 and #122.
Most recent shared year, 2023: David #76, Johnny #518.
Republic of Ireland · Boys40 shared years, 1983–2025
David held the stronger position in 40 of those years, Johnny in 0.
Highest recorded here: David #1 in 1988, Johnny #158 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: David #45, Johnny #252.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
David held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Johnny in 0.
Highest recorded here: David #32 in 1996, Johnny #322 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: David #64, Johnny #494.
Northern Ireland · Boys25 shared years, 1997–2024
David held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Johnny in 0.
Highest recorded here: David #9 in 1997, Johnny #178 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: David #104, Johnny #339.
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 | Johnny |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| 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/ | |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #45 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #252 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- David has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Johnny does not have one recorded yet.
- David and Johnny both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for David; Johnny doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.
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
Johnny
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #90 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1945–2023
Highest recorded position: #44 among boys in Norway, in 1956 (recorded 1945–2023).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #252 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys