Fraser vs Jacob

Fraser and Jacobcompared 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, Fraser was ranked #305 and Jacob #13 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Fraser was ranked #101 and Jacob #27 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Fraser was ranked #306 and Jacob #30 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2021, Fraser was ranked #755 and Jacob #49 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1982, Fraser was ranked #92 and Jacob #89 among boys in New Zealand.

Fraser and Jacob over time

Fraser and Jacob appear together in 2 published lists, across 45 years of shared records. Jacob held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Fraser in 0.

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

Fraser reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Jacob 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.

List by list

England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Fraser held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jacob in 29.
Highest recorded here: Fraser #136 in 1996, Jacob #4 in 2013.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Fraser #306, Jacob #30.
Northern Ireland · Boys16 shared years, 2001–2024
Fraser held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jacob in 16.
Highest recorded here: Fraser #247 in 2009, Jacob #7 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Fraser #305, Jacob #13.

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 Jacob

Pairs where Jacob shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Jacob vs Ashley
In 1996 they stood at #35 and #40 in England and Wales · Boys, 5 places apart; by 2024 they were #30 and #880.
Jacob · Ashley · 29 shared years, 1996–2024 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2024 England and Wales ranking
Jacob vs Ben
In 1996 they stood at #35 and #34 in England and Wales · Boys, 1 places apart; by 2024 they were #30 and #509.
Jacob · Ben · 29 shared years, 1996–2024 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2024 England and Wales ranking
Jacob vs Colin
In 1997 they stood at #94 and #96 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 2 places apart; by 2021 they were #16 and #433.
Jacob · Colin · 21 shared years, 1997–2021 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2021 Northern Ireland ranking
Jacob vs Barry
In 1997 they stood at #94 and #90 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 4 places apart; by 2022 they were #19 and #414.
Jacob · Barry · 21 shared years, 1997–2022 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2022 Northern Ireland ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Fraser, Jacob
Field	Fraser	Jacob
Record type	Official statistical record (evidence-only)	Editorially researched profile
Gender usage	male	male
Meaning	Not yet recorded	Commonly interpreted as 'holder of the heel' or 'supplanter', referencing the biblical account of Jacob being born grasping his twin brother Esau's heel. A less common alternate theory holds it may derive from a longer form meaning roughly 'may God protect'.
Origin	Not yet recorded	Biblical Hebrew, via Greek and Latin
Pronunciation	Not yet recorded	/ˈdʒeɪkəb/
Syllables	2	2
Common variants / nicknames	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Recorded regional usage	GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observation	Scotland · Boys #101 (2024)	New South Wales, Australia · Boys #42 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	Not yet recorded	90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	88/100	94/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	100/100	100/100
Data Confidence	medium	medium

What the data shows

Jacob has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew, via Greek and Latin); Fraser does not have one recorded yet.
Fraser and Jacob both have 2 syllables.
A meaning is recorded for Jacob; Fraser doesn't have one written yet.
Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Fraser

Popularity journey

First recorded1996
First recorded at #136 among boys in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #306 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys

Jacob

Popularity journey

First recorded1945
First recorded at #273 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #4 among boys in England and Wales, in 2013 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #42 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys