Finn vs John
Finn 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.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Finn was ranked #15 and John #67 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Finn was ranked #15 and John #29 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Finn was ranked #17 and John #78 among boys in Scotland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2021, Finn was ranked #25 and John #86 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2019, Finn was ranked #46 and John #97 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Finn was ranked #83 and John #164 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Finn was ranked #153 and John #161 among boys in Norway.
Finn and John over time
Finn and John appear together in 6 published lists, across 215 years of shared records. John held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Finn in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 6 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
John reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2016, Finn moved ahead of John in England and Wales · Boys — #126 and #108 the year before became #100 and #120.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Finn and John changed places 5 times in Norway · Boys between 1945 and 2025, ending at #153 and #161.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 24 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Finn and John averaged 25.0 places apart, ending at #25 and #86.
- Mirrored each other
Over 24 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Finn rose about as far as John fell — from #80 and #46 in 1998 to #25 and #86 in 2021.
- Longest-running competitions
Finn and John were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #153 and #161.
List by list
Norway · Boys81 shared years, 1945–2025
Finn held the stronger position in 4 of those years, John in 77.
Highest recorded here: Finn #31 in 1945, John #12 in 1955.
The order changed in 2025: Finn moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #146 and #136; by 2025 that had become #153 and #161.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Finn #153, John #161.
Republic of Ireland · Boys41 shared years, 1982–2025
Finn held the stronger position in 9 of those years, John in 32.
Highest recorded here: Finn #6 in 2020, John #1 in 1982.
The order changed in 2018: Finn moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #23 and #22; by 2018 that had become #18 and #27.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Finn #15, John #29.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Finn held the stronger position in 9 of those years, John in 20.
Highest recorded here: Finn #72 in 2021, John #46 in 1996.
The order changed in 2016: Finn moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #126 and #108; by 2016 that had become #100 and #120.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Finn #83, John #164.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Finn held the stronger position in 13 of those years, John in 15.
Highest recorded here: Finn #7 in 2020, John #17 in 1997.
The order changed in 2013: Finn moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #56 and #47; by 2013 that had become #39 and #49.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Finn #15, John #67.
New Zealand · Boys24 shared years, 1998–2021
Finn held the stronger position in 18 of those years, John in 6.
Highest recorded here: Finn #25 in 2020, John #40 in 1999.
The order changed in 2005: Finn moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #49 and #46; by 2005 that had become #42 and #47.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Finn #25, John #86.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys12 shared years, 2005–2019
Finn held the stronger position in 10 of those years, John in 2.
Highest recorded here: Finn #39 in 2017, John #65 in 2007.
The order changed in 2008: Finn moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #87 and #65; by 2008 that had become #76 and #83.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Finn #46, John #97.
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 | Finn | John |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | 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. |
| Origin | Irish | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /fɪn/ | /ˈjɔn/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| 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 | Republic of Ireland · Boys #15 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #29 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Finn is recorded with a Irish origin, while John is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Finn and John both have 1 syllable.
- Finn's recorded meaning differs from John'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 #52 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
John
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1952–2019
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–2019).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #161 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys