George vs Jonathan
George and Jonathancompared 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 Jonathan #302 among boys in England and Wales.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2013, George was ranked #35 and Jonathan #88 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2016, George was ranked #37 and Jonathan #97 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, George was ranked #40 and Jonathan #305 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, George was ranked #48 and Jonathan #352 among boys in Scotland.
Norway · Boys
In 2023, George was ranked #364 and Jonathan #80 among boys in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, George was ranked #112 and Jonathan #223 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
George and Jonathan over time
George and Jonathan appear together in 6 published lists, across 272 years of shared records. Jonathan held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, George in 2.
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.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 3 of the lists they share.
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 2012, George moved ahead of Jonathan in Northern Ireland · Boys — #108 and #101 the year before became #101 and #174.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
George and Jonathan changed places 4 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1963 and 2016, ending at #37 and #97.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 54 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, George and Jonathan averaged 22.9 places apart, ending at #37 and #97.
- Longest-running competitions
George and Jonathan were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 54 years, from 1963 to 2016, ending at #37 and #97.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
George held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Jonathan in 40.
Highest recorded here: George #52 in 1964, Jonathan #18 in 1981.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: George #112, Jonathan #223.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys54 shared years, 1963–2016
George held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Jonathan in 26.
Highest recorded here: George #36 in 1966, Jonathan #41 in 1980.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2016: George #37, Jonathan #97.
New Zealand · Boys51 shared years, 1957–2013
George held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Jonathan in 32.
Highest recorded here: George #28 in 2005, Jonathan #15 in 1982.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2013: George #35, Jonathan #88.
Norway · Boys48 shared years, 1960–2023
George held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Jonathan in 37.
Highest recorded here: George #253 in 1968, Jonathan #32 in 2011.
The order changed in 1980: Jonathan moved ahead. In 1979 they stood at #304 and #326; by 1980 that had become #359 and #278.
Most recent shared year, 2023: George #364, Jonathan #80.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
George held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Jonathan in 0.
Highest recorded here: George #2 in 2018, Jonathan #39 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: George #6, Jonathan #302.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
George held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Jonathan in 15.
Highest recorded here: George #25 in 2023, Jonathan #20 in 1998.
The order changed in 2012: George moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #108 and #101; by 2012 that had become #101 and #174.
Most recent shared year, 2024: George #40, Jonathan #305.
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 | George | Jonathan |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Farmer, earth-worker. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Greek | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdʒɔːdʒ/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #24 (2025) | Norway · Boys #93 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 76/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- George has a recorded origin (Greek); Jonathan does not have one recorded yet.
- George has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Jonathan.
- A meaning is recorded for George; Jonathan doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
George
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in England and Wales, in 2018 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #24 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Jonathan
Popularity journey
First recorded1949
First recorded at #371 among boys in Norway in 1949 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1957–2013
Highest recorded position: #15 among boys in New Zealand, in 1982 (recorded 1957–2013).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #93 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys