Fredrik vs Jan
Fredrik 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.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Fredrik was ranked #82 and Jan #149 among boys in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2017, Fredrik was ranked #710 and Jan #166 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Fredrik was ranked #3254 and Jan #514 among boys in England and Wales.
Fredrik and Jan over time
Fredrik and Jan appear together in 2 published lists, across 109 years of shared records. Jan held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Fredrik 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.
Jan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Fredrik 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 1987, Fredrik moved ahead of Jan in Norway · Boys — #20 and #19 the year before became #17 and #20.
- Longest-running competitions
Fredrik and Jan were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #82 and #149.
List by list
Norway · Boys81 shared years, 1945–2025
Fredrik held the stronger position in 39 of those years, Jan in 42.
Highest recorded here: Fredrik #6 in 1989, Jan #1 in 1946.
The order changed in 1987: Fredrik moved ahead. In 1986 they stood at #20 and #19; by 1987 that had become #17 and #20.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Fredrik #82, Jan #149.
England and Wales · Boys28 shared years, 1996–2024
Fredrik held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jan in 28.
Highest recorded here: Fredrik #1111 in 2020, Jan #226 in 2017.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Fredrik #3254, Jan #514.
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 | Fredrik | 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 | /ˈjɑːn/ | |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, IE, NO | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Boys #82 (2025) | Norway · Boys #149 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 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); Fredrik does not have one recorded yet.
- Fredrik has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Jan.
- A meaning is recorded for Jan; Fredrik doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE, NO.
How each name got here
Fredrik
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #137 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: #6 among boys in Norway, in 1989 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #82 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · 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