Dewi vs Jan
Dewi and Jancompared 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.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Dewi was ranked #1053 and Jan #514 among boys in England and Wales.
Dewi and Jan over time
Dewi and Jan appear together in 1 published list, across 29 years of shared records. Jan held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Dewi 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.
Dewi reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Jan 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.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Dewi held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Jan in 20.
Highest recorded here: Dewi #390 in 1996, Jan #226 in 2017.
The order changed in 2006: Jan moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #666 and #691; by 2006 that had become #722 and #472.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Dewi #1053, Jan #514.
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 | Dewi | Jan |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | A form of Johannes used across many European languages, from Hebrew Yochanan via Greek Ioannes — 'Yahweh is gracious'. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Hebrew, via Dutch/Scandinavian/Central European transmission |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈjɑːn/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Boys #1053 (2024) | Norway · Boys #149 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 40/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Jan has a recorded origin (Hebrew, via Dutch/Scandinavian/Central European transmission); Dewi does not have one recorded yet.
- Dewi has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Jan.
- A meaning is recorded for Jan; Dewi doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW.
How each name got here
Dewi
Popularity journey
First recorded1996
First recorded at #390 among boys in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #390 among boys in England and Wales, in 1996 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #1053 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys
Jan
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #2 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Norway, in 1946 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #149 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys