Garry vs John
Garry 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.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1966, Garry was ranked #100 and John #5 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1974, Garry was ranked #98 and John #15 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2009, Garry was ranked #701 and John #21 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2002, Garry was ranked #281 and John #23 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Garry was ranked #727 and John #78 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2023, Garry was ranked #4991 and John #158 among boys in England and Wales.
Garry and John over time
Garry and John appear together in 4 published lists, across 107 years of shared records. John held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Garry in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
John reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Garry 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.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 23 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Garry and John averaged 38.4 places apart, ending at #98 and #15.
- Longest-running competitions
Garry and John were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 45 years, from 1964 to 2009, ending at #701 and #21.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Garry #573 in 1996, John #46 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys45 shared years, 1964–2009
Garry held the stronger position in 0 of those years, John in 45.
Highest recorded here: Garry #79 in 1980, John #1 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2009: Garry #701, John #21.
England and Wales · Boys26 shared years, 1996–2023
Garry held the stronger position in 0 of those years, John in 26.
Highest recorded here: Garry #573 in 1996, John #46 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Garry #4991, John #158.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys23 shared years, 1952–1974
Garry held the stronger position in 0 of those years, John in 23.
Highest recorded here: Garry #15 in 1954, John #1 in 1952.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1974: Garry #98, John #15.
New Zealand · Boys13 shared years, 1954–1966
Garry held the stronger position in 0 of those years, John in 13.
Highest recorded here: Garry #38 in 1955, John #1 in 1954.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1966: Garry #100, John #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 | Garry | John |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | 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 | Not yet recorded | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈjɔn/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, 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 #727 (2024) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #29 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- John has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Garry does not have one recorded yet.
- Garry has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for John.
- A meaning is recorded for John; Garry doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Garry
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #19 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1952–1974
Highest recorded position: #15 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1954 (recorded 1952–1974).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2023
Most recently recorded at #4991 among boys in England and Wales, in 2023.
England and Wales · 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