Edward vs John
Edward and Johncompared 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, Edward was ranked #125 and John #29 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Edward was ranked #31 and John #164 among boys in England and Wales.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2019, Edward was ranked #49 and John #97 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2021, Edward was ranked #56 and John #86 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Edward was ranked #177 and John #67 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Edward was ranked #181 and John #78 among boys in Scotland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Edward was ranked #189 and John #161 among boys in Norway.
Edward and John over time
Edward and John appear together in 6 published lists, across 314 years of shared records. John held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Edward in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
John reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Edward 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2009, Edward moved ahead of John in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #100 and #83 the year before became #77 and #93.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Edward and John changed places 5 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1954 and 2021, ending at #56 and #86.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Edward and John averaged 59.2 places apart, ending at #31 and #164.
- Longest-running competitions
Edward and John were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 62 years, from 1952 to 2019, ending at #49 and #97.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Boys within 2 years — Edward #51 in 1955, John #1 in 1954.
List by list
Norway · Boys73 shared years, 1950–2025
Edward held the stronger position in 0 of those years, John in 73.
Highest recorded here: Edward #168 in 2012, John #12 in 1955.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Edward #189, John #161.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys62 shared years, 1952–2019
Edward held the stronger position in 9 of those years, John in 53.
Highest recorded here: Edward #42 in 2015, John #1 in 1952.
The order changed in 2009: Edward moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #100 and #83; by 2009 that had become #77 and #93.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Edward #49, John #97.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Edward held the stronger position in 0 of those years, John in 62.
Highest recorded here: Edward #17 in 1965, John #1 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Edward #125, John #29.
New Zealand · Boys60 shared years, 1954–2021
Edward held the stronger position in 6 of those years, John in 54.
Highest recorded here: Edward #51 in 1955, John #1 in 1954.
The order changed in 2020: Edward moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #76 and #60; by 2020 that had become #66 and #99.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Edward #56, John #86.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Edward held the stronger position in 29 of those years, John in 0.
Highest recorded here: Edward #23 in 2016, John #46 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Edward #31, John #164.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Edward held the stronger position in 0 of those years, John in 28.
Highest recorded here: Edward #104 in 1997, John #17 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Edward #177, John #67.
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 | Edward | John |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | From Hebrew Yochanan, 'Yahweh is gracious', via Greek Ioannes and Latin Iohannes. One of the most widespread names in Christian Europe, associated with both John the Baptist and the apostle John. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈjɔn/ | |
| 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 | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #75 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #29 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- John has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Edward does not have one recorded yet.
- Edward has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for John.
- A meaning is recorded for John; Edward 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
Edward
Popularity journey
First recorded1950
First recorded at #324 among boys in Norway in 1950 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #17 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1965 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #75 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
John
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #20 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2019
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–2019).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #161 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys