Namewise

Emil vs Jan

Emil 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.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, Emil was ranked #2 and Jan #149 among boys in Norway.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2014, Emil was ranked #398 and Jan #243 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Emil was ranked #468 and Jan #372 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Emil was ranked #619 and Jan #535 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Emil was ranked #771 and Jan #639 among boys in England and Wales.

Emil and Jan over time

Emil and Jan appear together in 3 published lists, across 130 years of shared records. Jan held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Emil 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.

Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.

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 1994, Emil moved ahead of Jan in Norway · Boys — #38 and #35 the year before became #39 and #45.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Emil and Jan changed places 4 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2025, ending at #771 and #639.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Emil and Jan were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #771 and #639.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Emil #506 in 2015, Jan #226 in 2017.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys81 shared years, 1945–2025

    Emil held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Jan in 49.

    Highest recorded here: Emil #1 in 2008, Jan #1 in 1946.

    The order changed in 1994: Emil moved ahead. In 1993 they stood at #38 and #35; by 1994 that had become #39 and #45.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Emil #2, Jan #149.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Emil held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Jan in 27.

    Highest recorded here: Emil #506 in 2015, Jan #226 in 2017.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Emil #771, Jan #639.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys19 shared years, 2006–2025

    Emil held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jan in 19.

    Highest recorded here: Emil #310 in 2012, Jan #114 in 2012.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Emil #468, Jan #372.

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 Emil

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

Other comparisons involving Jan

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

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — longest-running competitions.

All longest-running competitions→

Other pairs from Norway lists

Pairs measured inside Norway's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Norway overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Emil, Jan
FieldEmilJan
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningFrom the Roman family name Aemilius, itself from Latin 'aemulus' meaning 'rival'.A form of Johannes used across many European languages, from Hebrew Yochanan via Greek Ioannes — 'Yahweh is gracious'.
OriginLatin, widely used across Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German and other European traditionsHebrew, via Dutch/Scandinavian/Central European transmission
Pronunciation/ˈeː.mɪl//ˈjɑːn/
Syllables21
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NOAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Boys #2 (2025)Norway · Boys #149 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Emil is recorded with a Latin, widely used across Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German and other European traditions origin, while Jan is recorded with a Hebrew, via Dutch/Scandinavian/Central European transmission origin.
  • Emil has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Jan.
  • Emil's recorded meaning differs from Jan's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.

How each name got here

Emil

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #271 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1945–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Norway, in 2008 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #771 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Jan

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1945–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Norway, in 1946 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #639 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys