Namewise

George vs Jake

George 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.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, George was ranked #6 and Jake #185 among boys in England and Wales.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2017, George was ranked #7 and Jake #96 among boys in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2020, George was ranked #28 and Jake #87 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, George was ranked #40 and Jake #84 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, George was ranked #48 and Jake #165 among boys in Scotland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, George was ranked #112 and Jake #95 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

George and Jake over time

George and Jake appear together in 5 published lists, across 158 years of shared records. Jake held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, George in 2.

The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Jake reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and George 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 took the other's place near the top

    In Northern Ireland · Boys, George moved into the top 50 at #28 in 2019 as Jake fell out of it to #56, having been #30 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 2006, George moved ahead of Jake in England and Wales · Boys — #17 and #16 the year before became #14 and #15.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, George and Jake averaged 39.4 places apart, ending at #6 and #185.

  • Longest-running competitions

    George and Jake were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 34 years, from 1986 to 2020, ending at #28 and #87.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys41 shared years, 19832025

    George held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Jake in 36.

    Highest recorded here: George #65 in 2019, Jake #25 in 2015.

    The order changed in 1990: Jake moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #105 and #173; by 1990 that had become #157 and #144.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: George #112, Jake #95.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys34 shared years, 19862020

    George held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Jake in 26.

    Highest recorded here: George #28 in 2020, Jake #7 in 1994.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2020: George #28, Jake #87.

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 19962024

    George held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Jake in 2.

    Highest recorded here: George #2 in 2018, Jake #15 in 2006.

    The order changed in 2006: George moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #17 and #16; by 2006 that had become #14 and #15.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: George #6, Jake #185.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 19972024

    George held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Jake in 22.

    Highest recorded here: George #25 in 2023, Jake #10 in 2015.

    The order changed in 2019: George moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #49 and #30; by 2019 that had become #28 and #56.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: George #40, Jake #84.

  • New Zealand · Boys26 shared years, 19912017

    George held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Jake in 1.

    Highest recorded here: George #7 in 2017, Jake #44 in 2005.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2017: George #7, Jake #96.

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

Side-by-side comparison of George, Jake
FieldGeorgeJake
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningFarmer, earth-worker.A medieval variant of Jack, also sometimes used as a short form of Jacob.
OriginGreekEnglish, medieval variant
Pronunciation/ˈdʒɔːdʒ//ˈd͡ʒeɪk/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNew South Wales, Australia · Boys #24 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #95 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • George is recorded with a Greek origin, while Jake is recorded with a English, medieval variant origin.
  • George and Jake both have 2 syllables.
  • George'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

George

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1946

    First recorded at #345 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1996–2024

    Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in England and Wales, in 2018 (recorded 1996–2024).

    England and Wales · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #24 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

Jake

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1986–2020

    Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1994 (recorded 1986–2020).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #95 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys