Donald vs James
Donald and Jamescompared 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 2019, Donald was ranked #764 and James #2 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Donald was ranked #432 and James #14 among boys in Scotland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1969, Donald was ranked #95 and James #17 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1969, Donald was ranked #94 and James #18 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Donald was ranked #1595 and James #40 among boys in England and Wales.
Donald and James over time
Donald and James appear together in 4 published lists, across 94 years of shared records. James held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Donald in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Donald reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and James 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.
- Longest-running competitions
Donald and James were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 32 years, from 1964 to 2019, ending at #764 and #2.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Donald #680 in 1996, James #2 in 1997.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys32 shared years, 1964–2019
Donald held the stronger position in 0 of those years, James in 32.
Highest recorded here: Donald #96 in 1965, James #2 in 2019.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Donald #764, James #2.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Donald held the stronger position in 0 of those years, James in 29.
Highest recorded here: Donald #680 in 1996, James #2 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Donald #1595, James #40.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys17 shared years, 1952–1969
Donald held the stronger position in 0 of those years, James in 17.
Highest recorded here: Donald #40 in 1953, James #16 in 1965.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1969: Donald #94, James #18.
New Zealand · Boys16 shared years, 1954–1969
Donald held the stronger position in 0 of those years, James in 16.
Highest recorded here: Donald #34 in 1955, James #14 in 1965.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1969: Donald #95, James #17.
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 | Donald | James |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Supplanter, held by the heel (traditional interpretation via Jacob). |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Hebrew, via Late Latin Iacomus |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdʒeɪmz/ | |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Jim, Jamie, Iacomus |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Scotland · Boys #432 (2024) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #4 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- James has a recorded origin (Hebrew, via Late Latin Iacomus); Donald does not have one recorded yet.
- Donald and James both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for James; Donald doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Donald a "medium" Data Confidence level and James a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Donald
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #45 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1969
Highest recorded position: #34 among boys in New Zealand, in 1955 (recorded 1954–1969).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #1595 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys
James
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #344 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2015 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #15 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys