George vs Joseph
George and Josephcompared 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 Joseph #56 among boys in England and Wales.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, George was ranked #7 and Joseph #69 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, George was ranked #24 and Joseph #33 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, George was ranked #40 and Joseph #34 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, George was ranked #48 and Joseph #82 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, George was ranked #112 and Joseph #64 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2023, George was ranked #364 and Joseph #430 among boys in Norway.
George and Joseph over time
George and Joseph appear together in 6 published lists, across 314 years of shared records. Joseph held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, George in 2.
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.
Joseph reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, George in 1. 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 2007, George moved ahead of Joseph in England and Wales · Boys — #14 and #11 the year before became #12 and #13.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
George and Joseph changed places 12 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1954 and 2023, ending at #7 and #69.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, George and Joseph averaged 16.6 places apart, ending at #6 and #56.
- Longest-running competitions
George and Joseph were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 74 years, from 1952 to 2025, ending at #24 and #33.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — George #52 in 1964, Joseph #11 in 1964.
List by list
New South Wales, Australia · Boys74 shared years, 1952–2025
George held the stronger position in 38 of those years, Joseph in 36.
Highest recorded here: George #24 in 2023, Joseph #32 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: George #24, Joseph #33.
New Zealand · Boys70 shared years, 1954–2023
George held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Joseph in 47.
Highest recorded here: George #5 in 2021, Joseph #18 in 1988.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: George #7, Joseph #69.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
George held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Joseph in 62.
Highest recorded here: George #52 in 1964, Joseph #11 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: George #112, Joseph #64.
Norway · Boys51 shared years, 1954–2023
George held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Joseph in 28.
Highest recorded here: George #253 in 1968, Joseph #272 in 1985.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: George #364, Joseph #430.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
George held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Joseph in 11.
Highest recorded here: George #2 in 2018, Joseph #7 in 2000.
The order changed in 2007: George moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #14 and #11; by 2007 that had become #12 and #13.
Most recent shared year, 2024: George #6, Joseph #56.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
George held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Joseph in 23.
Highest recorded here: George #25 in 2023, Joseph #22 in 2013.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: George #40, Joseph #34.
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 | Joseph |
|---|---|---|
| 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/ | |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| 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) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #33 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- George has a recorded origin (Greek); Joseph does not have one recorded yet.
- George and Joseph both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for George; Joseph 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
Joseph
Popularity journey
First recorded1949
First recorded at #326 among boys in Norway in 1949 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in England and Wales, in 2000 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #33 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys