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.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Emil was ranked #737 and Jan #514 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Emil was ranked #619 and Jan #535 among boys in Scotland.
Emil and Jan over time
Emil and Jan appear together in 3 published lists, across 129 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 2024, ending at #737 and #514.
- Longest-running competitions
Emil and Jan were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #2 and #149.
- 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 · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Emil held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Jan in 26.
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, 2024: Emil #737, Jan #514.
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.
Side by side
| Field | Emil | Jan |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | From 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'. |
| Origin | Latin, widely used across Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German and other European traditions | Hebrew, via Dutch/Scandinavian/Central European transmission |
| Pronunciation | /ˈeː.mɪl/ | /ˈjɑːn/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Boys #2 (2025) | Norway · Boys #149 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
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
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
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Norway, in 2008 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #2 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · 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