Gary vs Jake
Gary and Jakecompared 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 2022, Gary was ranked #352 and Jake #44 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Gary was ranked #785 and Jake #62 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Gary was ranked #619 and Jake #165 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Gary was ranked #2671 and Jake #185 among boys in England and Wales.
Gary and Jake over time
Gary and Jake appear together in 3 published lists, across 88 years of shared records. Jake held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Gary in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Gary reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Jake 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 1998, Jake moved ahead of Gary in Northern Ireland · Boys — #57 and #64 the year before became #83 and #52.
- Longest-running competitions
Gary and Jake were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 39 years, from 1983 to 2024, ending at #785 and #62.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1997 they stood at #57 and #64 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 7 places apart; by 2022 they were #352 and #44.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys39 shared years, 1983–2024
Gary held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Jake in 26.
Highest recorded here: Gary #25 in 1991, Jake #25 in 2015.
The order changed in 1998: Jake moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #53 and #64; by 1998 that had become #71 and #51.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Gary #785, Jake #62.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Gary held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jake in 29.
Highest recorded here: Gary #147 in 1996, Jake #15 in 2006.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Gary #2671, Jake #185.
Northern Ireland · Boys20 shared years, 1997–2022
Gary held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Jake in 19.
Highest recorded here: Gary #57 in 1997, Jake #10 in 2015.
The order changed in 1998: Jake moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #57 and #64; by 1998 that had become #83 and #52.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Gary #352, Jake #44.
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 | Gary | Jake |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | An English surname originally a short form of Norman given names beginning with the Old German element 'ger' ('spear'). Adopted as a stage name by actor Gary Cooper, after Gary, Indiana. | A medieval variant of Jack, also sometimes used as a short form of Jacob. |
| Origin | Germanic (surname origin) | English, medieval variant |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɡæɹ.i/ | /ˈd͡ʒeɪk/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| 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, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Scotland · Boys #619 (2024) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #95 (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
- Gary is recorded with a Germanic (surname origin) origin, while Jake is recorded with a English, medieval variant origin.
- Gary and Jake both have 2 syllables.
- Gary's recorded meaning differs from Jake's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Gary
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #8 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 recorded1952–1984
Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1984).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2671 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys
Jake
Popularity journey
First recorded1983
First recorded at #330 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1983 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1986–2020
Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1994 (recorded 1986–2020).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #95 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys