Gavin vs Jack
Gavin and Jackcompared 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 2020, Gavin was ranked #270 and Jack #2 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Gavin was ranked #348 and Jack #2 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Gavin was ranked #898 and Jack #22 among boys in England and Wales.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1988, Gavin was ranked #92 and Jack #52 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Gavin and Jack over time
Gavin and Jack appear together in 3 published lists, across 101 years of shared records. Jack held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Gavin 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.
Gavin reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Jack 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 1995, Jack moved ahead of Gavin in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #32 and #33 the year before became #36 and #19.
- Longest-running competitions
Gavin and Jack were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 53 years, from 1970 to 2025, ending at #348 and #2.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Gavin #185 in 1996, Jack #1 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys53 shared years, 1970–2025
Gavin held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Jack in 32.
Highest recorded here: Gavin #32 in 1994, Jack #1 in 2000.
The order changed in 1995: Jack moved ahead. In 1994 they stood at #32 and #33; by 1995 that had become #36 and #19.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Gavin #348, Jack #2.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Gavin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jack in 29.
Highest recorded here: Gavin #185 in 1996, Jack #1 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Gavin #898, Jack #22.
Northern Ireland · Boys19 shared years, 1997–2020
Gavin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jack in 19.
Highest recorded here: Gavin #66 in 1997, Jack #1 in 2001.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Gavin #270, Jack #2.
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 | Gavin | Jack |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | God is gracious (via John), though now used as an independent name. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | English, historically a diminutive of John |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈdʒæk/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Jankin |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #348 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #2 (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 | high |
What the data shows
- Jack has a recorded origin (English, historically a diminutive of John); Gavin does not have one recorded yet.
- Gavin has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Jack.
- A meaning is recorded for Jack; Gavin doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Gavin a "medium" Data Confidence level and Jack a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Gavin
Popularity journey
First recorded1954
First recorded at #70 among boys in New Zealand in 1954 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #32 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1994 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #348 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Jack
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #171 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: #1 among boys in England and Wales, in 1996 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #10 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys