Namewise

Eoin vs John

Eoin 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, Eoin was ranked #106 and John #29 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Eoin was ranked #71 and John #67 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Eoin was ranked #404 and John #78 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Eoin was ranked #945 and John #164 among boys in England and Wales.

Eoin and John over time

Eoin and John appear together in 3 published lists, across 119 years of shared records. John held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Eoin in 0.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

John reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Eoin 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.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Eoin and John changed places 6 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2024, ending at #71 and #67.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Boys, Eoin and John averaged 10.8 places apart, ending at #71 and #67.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Eoin and John were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #106 and #29.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Eoin #398 in 1998, John #46 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 19642025

    Eoin held the stronger position in 3 of those years, John in 59.

    Highest recorded here: Eoin #14 in 2004, John #1 in 1964.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Eoin #106, John #29.

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 19962024

    Eoin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, John in 29.

    Highest recorded here: Eoin #398 in 1998, John #46 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Eoin #945, John #164.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 19972024

    Eoin held the stronger position in 10 of those years, John in 18.

    Highest recorded here: Eoin #23 in 2004, John #17 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Eoin #71, 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

Side-by-side comparison of Eoin, John
FieldEoinJohn
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningCommonly interpreted as the Irish form of John, ultimately tracing to Hebrew elements for 'Yahweh' and 'to be gracious/show favour'.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.
OriginIrishBiblical Hebrew
Pronunciation/ˈoːnʲ//ˈjɔn/
Syllables11
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IEAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #106 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #29 (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

  • Eoin is recorded with a Irish origin, while John is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
  • Eoin and John both have 1 syllable.
  • Eoin'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.

How each name got here

Eoin

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #83 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #14 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2004 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #106 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

John

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1952–2019

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–2019).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #161 among boys in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Boys