Fearghal vs Jan
Fearghal 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.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Fearghal was ranked #414 and Jan #352 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Fearghal was ranked #785 and Jan #394 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 1997, Fearghal was ranked #2337 and Jan #809 among boys in England and Wales.
Fearghal and Jan over time
Fearghal and Jan appear together in 1 published list, across 21 years of shared records. Fearghal held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Jan 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.
Fearghal reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Jan 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 2007, Jan moved ahead of Fearghal in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #322 and #351 the year before became #629 and #180.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys21 shared years, 1969–2024
Fearghal held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Jan in 7.
Highest recorded here: Fearghal #186 in 1988, Jan #114 in 2012.
The order changed in 2007: Jan moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #322 and #351; by 2007 that had become #629 and #180.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Fearghal #785, Jan #394.
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 | Fearghal | Jan |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | A form of Johannes used across many European languages, from Hebrew Yochanan via Greek Ioannes — 'Yahweh is gracious'. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Hebrew, via Dutch/Scandinavian/Central European transmission |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈjɑːn/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Northern Ireland · Boys #404 (2024) | Norway · Boys #149 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 76/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Jan has a recorded origin (Hebrew, via Dutch/Scandinavian/Central European transmission); Fearghal does not have one recorded yet.
- Fearghal has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Jan.
- A meaning is recorded for Jan; Fearghal doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
Fearghal
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #232 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
Highest recorded1964–2024
Highest recorded position: #153 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1986 (recorded 1964–2024).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #404 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2024.
Northern Ireland · 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