Gareth vs James
Gareth and Jamescompared 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 2021, Gareth was ranked #433 and James #3 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2021, Gareth was ranked #552 and James #3 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1989, Gareth was ranked #93 and James #5 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Gareth was ranked #2088 and James #40 among boys in England and Wales.
Gareth and James over time
Gareth and James appear together in 4 published lists, across 123 years of shared records. James held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Gareth in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Gareth reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and James 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.
- Longest-running competitions
Gareth and James were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 55 years, from 1964 to 2021, ending at #552 and #3.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Gareth #117 in 1996, James #2 in 1997.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys55 shared years, 1964–2021
Gareth held the stronger position in 0 of those years, James in 55.
Highest recorded here: Gareth #42 in 1980, James #1 in 1994.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Gareth #552, James #3.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Gareth held the stronger position in 0 of those years, James in 29.
Highest recorded here: Gareth #117 in 1996, James #2 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Gareth #2088, James #40.
Northern Ireland · Boys20 shared years, 1997–2021
Gareth held the stronger position in 0 of those years, James in 20.
Highest recorded here: Gareth #47 in 1997, James #1 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Gareth #433, James #3.
New Zealand · Boys19 shared years, 1971–1989
Gareth held the stronger position in 0 of those years, James in 19.
Highest recorded here: Gareth #30 in 1982, James #3 in 1982.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1989: Gareth #93, James #5.
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 | Gareth | James |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Supplanter, held by the heel (traditional interpretation via Jacob). |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Hebrew, via Late Latin Iacomus |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈdʒeɪmz/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Jim, Jamie, Iacomus |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Boys #2088 (2024) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #4 (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 | high |
What the data shows
- James has a recorded origin (Hebrew, via Late Latin Iacomus); Gareth does not have one recorded yet.
- Gareth and James both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for James; Gareth doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Gareth a "medium" Data Confidence level and James a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Gareth
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #214 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 recorded1971–1989
Highest recorded position: #30 among boys in New Zealand, in 1982 (recorded 1971–1989).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2088 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys
James
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #344 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2015 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #15 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys