Graham vs John
Graham and John compared 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.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1972, Graham was ranked #74 and John #13 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1979, Graham was ranked #100 and John #19 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2023, Graham was ranked #770 and John #31 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2010, Graham was ranked #387 and John #40 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Graham was ranked #727 and John #78 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2025, Graham was ranked #2952 and John #174 among boys in England and Wales.
Graham and John over time
Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.
Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.
Graham and John over time
Graham and John appear together in 5 published lists, across 140 years of shared records. John held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Graham in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
John reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Graham 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.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Graham and John averaged 43.0 places apart, ending at #100 and #19.
- Longest-running competitions
Graham and John were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #2952 and #174.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Graham #341 in 1996, John #46 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys54 shared years, 1964–2023
Graham held the stronger position in 0 of those years, John in 54.
Highest recorded here: Graham #52 in 1984, John #1 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Graham #770, John #31.
England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025
Graham held the stronger position in 0 of those years, John in 30.
Highest recorded here: Graham #341 in 1996, John #46 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Graham #2952, John #174.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys28 shared years, 1952–1979
Graham held the stronger position in 0 of those years, John in 28.
Highest recorded here: Graham #20 in 1952, John #1 in 1952.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1979: Graham #100, John #19.
New Zealand · Boys19 shared years, 1954–1972
Graham held the stronger position in 0 of those years, John in 19.
Highest recorded here: Graham #23 in 1954, John #1 in 1954.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1972: Graham #74, John #13.
Northern Ireland · Boys9 shared years, 1997–2010
Graham held the stronger position in 0 of those years, John in 9.
Highest recorded here: Graham #137 in 1998, John #17 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2010: Graham #387, John #40.
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 | Graham | John |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | From Hebrew Yochanan, 'Yahweh is gracious', via Greek Ioannes and Latin Iohannes. One of the most widespread names in Christian Europe, associated with both John the Baptist and the apostle John. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈjɔn/ | |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | New South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, New Zealand | New South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Norway, New Zealand |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Boys #2952 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #29 (2025) |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- John has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Graham does not have one recorded yet.
- Graham has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for John.
- A meaning is recorded for John; Graham doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Graham
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #20 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 recorded1952–1979
Highest recorded position: #20 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1979).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #2952 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys
John
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #20 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2019
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–2019).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #174 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys