George vs Nathan
George and Nathancompared 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 Nathan #88 among boys in England and Wales.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, George was ranked #7 and Nathan #70 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2018, George was ranked #33 and Nathan #84 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, George was ranked #40 and Nathan #118 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, George was ranked #48 and Nathan #62 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, George was ranked #112 and Nathan #71 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2023, George was ranked #364 and Nathan #303 among boys in Norway.
George and Nathan over time
George and Nathan appear together in 6 published lists, across 233 years of shared records. Nathan held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, George in 1.
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.
Nathan 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 2017, George moved ahead of Nathan in Northern Ireland · Boys — #68 and #68 the year before became #58 and #77.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, George and Nathan averaged 47.2 places apart, ending at #6 and #88.
- Mirrored each other
Over 54 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Nathan rose about as far as George fell — from #61 and #267 in 1968 to #112 and #71 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
George and Nathan were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 49 years, from 1969 to 2018, ending at #33 and #84.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Norway · Boys within 2 years — George #361 in 2017, Nathan #236 in 2017.
List by list
New Zealand · Boys54 shared years, 1969–2023
George held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Nathan in 36.
Highest recorded here: George #5 in 2021, Nathan #14 in 1995.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: George #7, Nathan #70.
Republic of Ireland · Boys54 shared years, 1968–2025
George held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Nathan in 36.
Highest recorded here: George #61 in 1968, Nathan #26 in 1999.
The order changed in 1990: Nathan moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #105 and #149; by 1990 that had become #157 and #116.
Most recent shared year, 2025: George #112, Nathan #71.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys49 shared years, 1969–2018
George held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Nathan in 39.
Highest recorded here: George #33 in 2018, Nathan #10 in 1981.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2018: George #33, Nathan #84.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
George held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Nathan in 0.
Highest recorded here: George #2 in 2018, Nathan #24 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: George #6, Nathan #88.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
George held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Nathan in 19.
Highest recorded here: George #25 in 2023, Nathan #15 in 2000.
The order changed in 2017: George moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #68 and #68; by 2017 that had become #58 and #77.
Most recent shared year, 2024: George #40, Nathan #118.
Norway · Boys19 shared years, 1982–2023
George held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Nathan in 15.
Highest recorded here: George #361 in 2017, Nathan #236 in 2017.
The order changed in 1999: Nathan moved ahead. In 1998 they stood at #432 and #528; by 1999 that had become #507 and #482.
Most recent shared year, 2023: George #364, Nathan #303.
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 | Nathan |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Farmer, earth-worker. | Commonly interpreted as 'he gave' or 'he has given'. |
| Origin | Greek | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdʒɔːdʒ/ | /ˈneɪθən/ |
| 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) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #71 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| 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 is recorded with a Greek origin, while Nathan is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
- George and Nathan both have 2 syllables.
- George's recorded meaning differs from Nathan's — see the table above for each.
- 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
Nathan
Popularity journey
First recorded1968
First recorded at #267 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1968 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1969–2018
Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1981 (recorded 1969–2018).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #344 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys