Emil vs John
Emil 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.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Emil was ranked #2 and John #161 among boys in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Emil was ranked #468 and John #29 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2014, Emil was ranked #398 and John #53 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Emil was ranked #619 and John #78 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Emil was ranked #737 and John #164 among boys in England and Wales.
Emil and John over time
Emil and John appear together in 3 published lists, across 129 years of shared records. John 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.
John reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Emil 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 1990, Emil moved ahead of John in Norway · Boys — #64 and #54 the year before became #34 and #53.
- Longest-running competitions
Emil and John were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #2 and #161.
List by list
Norway · Boys81 shared years, 1945–2025
Emil held the stronger position in 36 of those years, John in 45.
Highest recorded here: Emil #1 in 2008, John #12 in 1955.
The order changed in 1990: Emil moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #64 and #54; by 1990 that had become #34 and #53.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emil #2, John #161.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Emil held the stronger position in 0 of those years, John in 29.
Highest recorded here: Emil #506 in 2015, John #46 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Emil #737, John #164.
Republic of Ireland · Boys19 shared years, 2006–2025
Emil held the stronger position in 0 of those years, John in 19.
Highest recorded here: Emil #310 in 2012, John #18 in 2006.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emil #468, John #29.
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 | John |
|---|---|---|
| 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'. | 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 | Latin, widely used across Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German and other European traditions | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈeː.mɪl/ | /ˈjɔn/ |
| 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) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #29 (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 John is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Emil has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for John.
- Emil's recorded meaning differs from John'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
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