Graeme vs James
Graeme and Jamescompared 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.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2013, Graeme was ranked #711 and James #2 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2001, Graeme was ranked #280 and James #5 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1975, Graeme was ranked #86 and James #10 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1972, Graeme was ranked #96 and James #21 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2023, Graeme was ranked #4107 and James #35 among boys in England and Wales.
Graeme and James over time
Graeme and James appear together in 4 published lists, across 91 years of shared records. James held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Graeme 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.
Graeme reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and James 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 1959, James moved ahead of Graeme in New Zealand · Boys — #22 and #23 the year before became #25 and #20.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 21 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Graeme and James averaged 33.2 places apart, ending at #96 and #21.
- Longest-running competitions
Graeme and James were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 34 years, from 1968 to 2013, ending at #711 and #2.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Graeme #755 in 1996, James #2 in 1997.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys34 shared years, 1968–2013
Graeme held the stronger position in 0 of those years, James in 34.
Highest recorded here: Graeme #152 in 1992, James #1 in 1994.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2013: Graeme #711, James #2.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys21 shared years, 1952–1972
Graeme held the stronger position in 0 of those years, James in 21.
Highest recorded here: Graeme #33 in 1952, James #16 in 1965.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1972: Graeme #96, James #21.
New Zealand · Boys21 shared years, 1954–1975
Graeme held the stronger position in 2 of those years, James in 19.
Highest recorded here: Graeme #18 in 1954, James #10 in 1975.
The order changed in 1959: James moved ahead. In 1958 they stood at #22 and #23; by 1959 that had become #25 and #20.
Most recent shared year, 1975: Graeme #86, James #10.
England and Wales · Boys15 shared years, 1996–2023
Graeme held the stronger position in 0 of those years, James in 15.
Highest recorded here: Graeme #755 in 1996, James #2 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Graeme #4107, James #35.
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 | Graeme | James |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Supplanter, held by the heel (traditional interpretation via Jacob). |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Hebrew, via Late Latin Iacomus |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈdʒeɪmz/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Jim, Jamie, Iacomus |
| 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 | England and Wales · Boys #4107 (2023) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #4 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- James has a recorded origin (Hebrew, via Late Latin Iacomus); Graeme does not have one recorded yet.
- Graeme and James both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for James; Graeme doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Graeme a "medium" Data Confidence level and James a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Graeme
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #33 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1975
Highest recorded position: #18 among boys in New Zealand, in 1954 (recorded 1954–1975).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2023
Most recently recorded at #4107 among boys in England and Wales, in 2023.
England and Wales · Boys
James
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #344 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2015 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #15 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys