Ethan vs Jason
Ethan and Jasoncompared 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.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2004, Ethan was ranked #5 and Jason #85 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2005, Ethan was ranked #9 and Jason #91 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Ethan was ranked #48 and Jason #197 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Ethan was ranked #51 and Jason #135 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Ethan was ranked #54 and Jason #199 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Ethan was ranked #57 and Jason #305 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2024, Ethan was ranked #296 and Jason #489 among boys in Norway.
Ethan and Jason over time
Ethan and Jason appear together in 5 published lists, across 124 years of shared records. Ethan held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Jason in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 5 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Jason reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Ethan 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 took the other's place near the top
In Northern Ireland · Boys, Ethan moved into the top 50 at #34 in 1999 as Jason fell out of it to #51, having been #36 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1997, Ethan moved ahead of Jason in England and Wales · Boys — #92 and #69 the year before became #62 and #72.
- Longest-running competitions
Ethan and Jason were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 37 years, from 1989 to 2025, ending at #51 and #135.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys37 shared years, 1989–2025
Ethan held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Jason in 14.
Highest recorded here: Ethan #30 in 2012, Jason #19 in 1989.
The order changed in 2003: Ethan moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #50 and #37; by 2003 that had become #44 and #45.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ethan #51, Jason #135.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ethan held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Jason in 1.
Highest recorded here: Ethan #11 in 2011, Jason #69 in 1996.
The order changed in 1997: Ethan moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #92 and #69; by 1997 that had become #62 and #72.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ethan #48, Jason #197.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Ethan held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Jason in 2.
Highest recorded here: Ethan #4 in 2011, Jason #36 in 1998.
The order changed in 1999: Ethan moved ahead. In 1998 they stood at #44 and #36; by 1999 that had become #34 and #51.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ethan #57, Jason #305.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys15 shared years, 1991–2005
Ethan held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Jason in 6.
Highest recorded here: Ethan #5 in 2002, Jason #22 in 1991.
The order changed in 1997: Ethan moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #56 and #42; by 1997 that had become #39 and #47.
Most recent shared year, 2005: Ethan #9, Jason #91.
New Zealand · Boys15 shared years, 1990–2004
Ethan held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Jason in 2.
Highest recorded here: Ethan #5 in 2002, Jason #16 in 1990.
The order changed in 1992: Ethan moved ahead. In 1991 they stood at #27 and #24; by 1992 that had become #19 and #35.
Most recent shared year, 2004: Ethan #5, Jason #85.
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 | Ethan | Jason |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Traditionally associated with qualities like 'solid, enduring, firm'. | From Ancient Greek Iason, meaning 'healer'. In Greek mythology, Jason led the Argonauts in the quest for the Golden Fleece; the name also appears in the New Testament as a Hellenized form possibly of a Hebrew name. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ˈiːθən/ | /ˈd͡ʒeɪ.sən/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #49 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #135 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Ethan is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Jason is recorded with a Greek origin.
- Ethan and Jason both have 2 syllables.
- Ethan's recorded meaning differs from Jason's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Ethan
Popularity journey
First recorded1989
First recorded at #208 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1989 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1991–2025
Highest recorded position: #4 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2011 (recorded 1991–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #49 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Jason
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #100 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2005
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1971 (recorded 1964–2005).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #135 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys