Namewise

Emil vs Jonas

Emil and Jonascompared 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 Jonas #49 among boys in Norway.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2014, Emil was ranked #398 and Jonas #264 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

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

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Emil was ranked #619 and Jonas #727 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Emil was ranked #771 and Jonas #716 among boys in England and Wales.

Emil and Jonas over time

Emil and Jonas appear together in 3 published lists, across 126 years of shared records. Jonas 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.

Emil reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Jonas in 1. 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 2008, Emil moved ahead of Jonas in Norway · Boys — #3 and #1 the year before became #1 and #4.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Emil and Jonas changed places 4 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2025, ending at #771 and #716.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 77 shared years in Norway · Boys, Emil and Jonas averaged 52.1 places apart, ending at #2 and #49.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Emil and Jonas were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #771 and #716.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Norway · Boys within 2 years — Emil #1 in 2008, Jonas #1 in 2006.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys77 shared years, 1945–2025

    Emil held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Jonas in 45.

    Highest recorded here: Emil #1 in 2008, Jonas #1 in 2006.

    The order changed in 2008: Emil moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #3 and #1; by 2008 that had become #1 and #4.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Emil #2, Jonas #49.

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

    Emil held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Jonas in 26.

    Highest recorded here: Emil #506 in 2015, Jonas #422 in 2018.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Emil #771, Jonas #716.

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

    Emil held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Jonas in 8.

    Highest recorded here: Emil #310 in 2012, Jonas #313 in 2016.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Emil #468, Jonas #468.

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 Jonas

Pairs where Jonas 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 — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

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, Jonas
FieldEmilJonas
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningFrom the Roman family name Aemilius, itself from Latin 'aemulus' meaning 'rival'.Traditionally associated with the biblical figure Jonah; some traditions link the underlying Hebrew root to 'dove'.
OriginLatin, widely used across Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German and other European traditionsHebrew, via Greek; used in Swedish, Norwegian, Danish and German tradition
Pronunciation/ˈeː.mɪl//ˈjuː.nas/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NOGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Boys #2 (2025)Norway · Boys #49 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10094/100
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 Jonas is recorded with a Hebrew, via Greek; used in Swedish, Norwegian, Danish and German tradition origin.
  • Emil and Jonas both have 2 syllables.
  • Emil's recorded meaning differs from Jonas'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

Jonas

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #257 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 2006 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #716 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys