Donatas vs James

Donatas 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.

England and Wales · Boys
In 2016, Donatas was ranked #4023 and James #12 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 1996, Donatas was ranked #567 and James #578 among boys in Norway.

Donatas and James over time

Donatas and James appear together in 1 published list, across 22 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

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.

James reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Donatas 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

Norway · Boys22 shared years, 1972–1996
Donatas held the stronger position in 11 of those years, James in 11.
Highest recorded here: Donatas #199 in 1987, James #218 in 1978.
The order changed in 1996: Donatas moved ahead. In 1995 they stood at #489 and #360; by 1996 that had become #567 and #578.
Most recent shared year, 1996: Donatas #567, James #578.

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 James

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

James vs Jordan
In 1997 they stood at #3 and #6 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 3 places apart; by 2024 they were #1 and #404.
James · Jordan · 28 shared years, 1997–2024 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2024 Northern Ireland ranking
James vs Gerard
In 1964 they stood at #5 and #10 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 5 places apart; by 2025 they were #4 and #348.
James · Gerard · 62 shared years, 1964–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2025 Republic of Ireland ranking
James vs Timothy
Over 52 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, James rose about as far as Timothy fell — from #20 and #61 in 1954 to #5 and #100 in 2005.
James · Timothy · 52 shared years, 1954–2005 · Mirrored each other
See the 2005 New Zealand ranking
James vs Daniel
James and Daniel changed places 12 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1954 and 2023, ending at #15 and #53.
James · Daniel · 69 shared years, 1954–2023 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
See the 2023 New Zealand ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Donatas, James
Field	Donatas	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	Not yet recorded	/ˈdʒeɪmz/
Syllables	3	2
Common variants / nicknames	Not yet recorded	Jim, Jamie, Iacomus
Recorded regional usage	GB-ENW, NO	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observation	England and Wales · Boys #4023 (2016)	Republic of Ireland · Boys #4 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	Not yet recorded	90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	82/100	94/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	60/100	100/100
Data Confidence	medium	high

What the data shows

James has a recorded origin (Hebrew, via Late Latin Iacomus); Donatas does not have one recorded yet.
Donatas has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for James.
A meaning is recorded for James; Donatas doesn't have one written yet.
Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, NO.
The available evidence gives Donatas 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

Donatas

Popularity journey

First recorded1972
First recorded at #547 among boys in Norway in 1972 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1972–1996
Highest recorded position: #199 among boys in Norway, in 1987 (recorded 1972–1996).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2016
Most recently recorded at #4023 among boys in England and Wales, in 2016.
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