Namewise

Graham vs Jonathan

Graham 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.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 1972, Graham was ranked #74 and Jonathan #39 among boys in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 1979, Graham was ranked #100 and Jonathan #54 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2010, Graham was ranked #387 and Jonathan #142 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2023, Graham was ranked #770 and Jonathan #203 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Graham was ranked #2952 and Jonathan #296 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Graham was ranked #727 and Jonathan #352 among boys in Scotland.

Graham and Jonathan over time

Graham and Jonathan appear together in 5 published lists, across 125 years of shared records. Jonathan held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Graham 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.

Graham reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Jonathan 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 1974, Jonathan moved ahead of Graham in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #72 and #74 the year before became #82 and #76.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Graham and Jonathan were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #2952 and #296.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Graham #341 in 1996, Jonathan #39 in 1996.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1964 they stood at #129 and #125 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 4 places apart; by 2023 they were #770 and #203.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys54 shared years, 1964–2023

    Graham held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jonathan in 52.

    Highest recorded here: Graham #52 in 1984, Jonathan #18 in 1981.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Graham #770, Jonathan #203.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Graham held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jonathan in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Graham #341 in 1996, Jonathan #39 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Graham #2952, Jonathan #296.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys17 shared years, 1963–1979

    Graham held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Jonathan in 6.

    Highest recorded here: Graham #36 in 1964, Jonathan #54 in 1979.

    The order changed in 1974: Jonathan moved ahead. In 1973 they stood at #72 and #74; by 1974 that had become #82 and #76.

    Most recent shared year, 1979: Graham #100, Jonathan #54.

  • New Zealand · Boys15 shared years, 1957–1972

    Graham held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Jonathan in 5.

    Highest recorded here: Graham #26 in 1957, Jonathan #35 in 1970.

    The order changed in 1968: Jonathan moved ahead. In 1967 they stood at #54 and #72; by 1968 that had become #73 and #58.

    Most recent shared year, 1972: Graham #74, Jonathan #39.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys9 shared years, 1997–2010

    Graham held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jonathan in 9.

    Highest recorded here: Graham #137 in 1998, Jonathan #20 in 1998.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2010: Graham #387, Jonathan #142.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Graham

Pairs where Graham shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Jonathan

Pairs where Jonathan shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — started together, ended far apart.

All started together, ended far apart→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Republic of Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Republic of Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Graham, Jonathan
FieldGrahamJonathan
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
PronunciationNot yet recorded
Syllables23
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Boys #2952 (2025)Norway · Boys #93 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10076/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Graham has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Jonathan.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Graham

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1952–1979

    Highest recorded position: #20 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1979).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #2952 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Jonathan

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1957–2013

    Highest recorded position: #15 among boys in New Zealand, in 1982 (recorded 1957–2013).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #296 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys