Finn vs Jan
Finn and Jan compared 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, Finn was ranked #12 and Jan #352 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Finn was ranked #15 and Jan #372 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Finn was ranked #17 and Jan #535 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2025, Finn was ranked #74 and Jan #639 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Finn was ranked #153 and Jan #149 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2010, Finn was ranked #4688 and Jan #4688 among girls in England and Wales.
Finn and Jan over time
Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.
Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.
Finn and Jan over time
Finn and Jan appear together in 4 published lists, across 156 years of shared records. Finn held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Jan in 1.
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.
Jan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Finn 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.
- Longest-running competitions
Finn and Jan were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #74 and #639.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Norway · Boys within 2 years — Finn #31 in 1945, Jan #1 in 1946.
List by list
Norway · Boys81 shared years, 1945–2025
Finn held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jan in 81.
Highest recorded here: Finn #31 in 1945, Jan #1 in 1946.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Finn #153, Jan #149.
England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025
Finn held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Jan in 0.
Highest recorded here: Finn #72 in 2021, Jan #226 in 2017.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Finn #74, Jan #639.
Republic of Ireland · Boys30 shared years, 1988–2025
Finn held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Jan in 0.
Highest recorded here: Finn #6 in 2020, Jan #114 in 2012.
The order changed in 1990: Finn moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #319 and #319; by 1990 that had become #256 and #286.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Finn #15, Jan #372.
Northern Ireland · Boys15 shared years, 2005–2022
Finn held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Jan in 0.
Highest recorded here: Finn #7 in 2020, Jan #222 in 2010.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Finn #12, Jan #352.
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 Finn
Pairs where Finn shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Finn vs Arild
In 1945 they stood at #31 and #32 in Norway · Boys, 1 places apart; by 2025 they were #153 and #489.
Finn · Arild · 75 shared years, 1945–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Finn vs Aksel
Finn and Aksel were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #153 and #25.
Finn · Aksel · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Longest-running competitions
- Anders vs Finn
Anders and Finn were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #293 and #153.
Anders · Finn · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Longest-running competitions
- Andreas vs Finn
Andreas and Finn were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #96 and #153.
Andreas · Finn · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Longest-running competitions
Other comparisons involving Jan
Pairs where Jan shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Jan vs Aksel
Jan and Aksel were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #149 and #25.
Jan · Aksel · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Longest-running competitions
- Jan vs Anders
Jan and Anders were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #149 and #293.
Jan · Anders · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Longest-running competitions
- Jan vs Christian
Jan and Christian were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #149 and #131.
Jan · Christian · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Longest-running competitions
- David vs Jan
David and Jan were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #88 and #149.
David · Jan · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Longest-running competitions
Other pairs with the same kind of relationship
Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — peaked in the same years.
- Jason vs Aaron
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Boys within 2 years — Jason #1 in 1970, Aaron #8 in 1972.
Jason · Aaron · 39 shared years, 1966–2004 · Peaked in the same years
- Ava vs Abigail
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Ava #1 in 2008, Abigail #36 in 2008.
Ava · Abigail · 44 shared years, 1978–2025 · Peaked in the same years
- Charlotte vs Abigail
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Charlotte #1 in 2012, Abigail #24 in 2010.
Charlotte · Abigail · 24 shared years, 2002–2025 · Peaked in the same years
- Emma vs Abigail
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Emma #1 in 2003, Abigail #29 in 2005.
Emma · Abigail · 28 shared years, 1997–2024 · Peaked in the same years
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.
- Ingrid vs Wenche
In 1945 they stood at #27 and #22 in Norway · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2008 they were #6 and #621.
Ingrid · Wenche · 58 shared years, 1945–2008 · Started together, ended far apart
- Anna vs Torill
In 1945 they stood at #38 and #39 in Norway · Girls, 1 places apart; by 2004 they were #10 and #599.
Anna · Torill · 55 shared years, 1945–2004 · Started together, ended far apart
- Ingrid vs Vigdis
In 1945 they stood at #27 and #32 in Norway · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2006 they were #6 and #583.
Ingrid · Vigdis · 52 shared years, 1945–2006 · Started together, ended far apart
- Anna vs Vigdis
In 1945 they stood at #38 and #32 in Norway · Girls, 6 places apart; by 2006 they were #10 and #583.
Anna · Vigdis · 52 shared years, 1945–2006 · Started together, ended far apart
Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s
Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.
- Grace vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #41 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2025 they were #27 and #4867.
Grace · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Ella vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #56 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 6 places apart; by 2025 they were #46 and #4867.
Ella · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Jasmine vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #55 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2025 they were #102 and #4867.
Jasmine · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Anna vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #47 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 3 places apart; by 2025 they were #142 and #4867.
Anna · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
Side by side
| Field | Finn | Jan |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Traditionally associated with the Irish hero Fionn mac Cumhaill; functions as the usual Anglicised spelling of the Irish name Fionn. | A form of Johannes used across many European languages, from Hebrew Yochanan via Greek Ioannes — 'Yahweh is gracious'. |
| Origin | Irish | Hebrew, via Dutch/Scandinavian/Central European transmission |
| Pronunciation | /fɪn/ | /ˈjɑːn/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | New South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Norway, New Zealand | New South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Norway, New Zealand |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #15 (2025) | Norway · Boys #149 (2025) |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Finn is recorded with a Irish origin, while Jan is recorded with a Hebrew, via Dutch/Scandinavian/Central European transmission origin.
- Finn and Jan both have 1 syllable.
- Finn's recorded meaning differs from Jan'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
Finn
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #31 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1982–2025
Highest recorded position: #6 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2020 (recorded 1982–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #74 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · 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 #639 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys