Gunnar vs Jan
Gunnar and Jan 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.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Gunnar was ranked #250 and Jan #149 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2025, Gunnar was ranked #3256 and Jan #639 among boys in England and Wales.
Gunnar and Jan 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.
Gunnar and Jan over time
Gunnar and Jan appear together in 2 published lists, across 96 years of shared records. Jan held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Gunnar in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Jan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Gunnar 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.
- Longest-running competitions
Gunnar and Jan were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #250 and #149.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Gunnar #1786 in 2018, Jan #226 in 2017.
List by list
Norway · Boys81 shared years, 1945–2025
Gunnar held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jan in 81.
Highest recorded here: Gunnar #10 in 1946, Jan #1 in 1946.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Gunnar #250, Jan #149.
England and Wales · Boys15 shared years, 2009–2025
Gunnar held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jan in 15.
Highest recorded here: Gunnar #1786 in 2018, Jan #226 in 2017.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Gunnar #3256, Jan #639.
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 Gunnar
Pairs where Gunnar shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Aksel vs Gunnar
Aksel and Gunnar were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #25 and #250.
Aksel · Gunnar · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Longest-running competitions
- Anders vs Gunnar
Anders and Gunnar were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #293 and #250.
Anders · Gunnar · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Longest-running competitions
- Andreas vs Gunnar
Andreas and Gunnar were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #96 and #250.
Andreas · Gunnar · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Longest-running competitions
- Arne vs Gunnar
Arne and Gunnar were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #222 and #250.
Arne · Gunnar · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Longest-running competitions
Other comparisons involving Jan
Pairs where Jan shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Jan vs Aksel
Jan and Aksel were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #149 and #25.
Jan · Aksel · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Longest-running competitions
- Jan vs Anders
Jan and Anders were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #149 and #293.
Jan · Anders · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Longest-running competitions
- Jan vs Christian
Jan and Christian were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #149 and #131.
Jan · Christian · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Longest-running competitions
- David vs Jan
David and Jan were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #88 and #149.
David · Jan · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Longest-running competitions
Other pairs with the same kind of relationship
Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — peaked in the same years.
- Jason vs Aaron
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Boys within 2 years — Jason #1 in 1970, Aaron #8 in 1972.
Jason · Aaron · 39 shared years, 1966–2004 · Peaked in the same years
- Ava vs Abigail
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Ava #1 in 2008, Abigail #36 in 2008.
Ava · Abigail · 44 shared years, 1978–2025 · Peaked in the same years
- Charlotte vs Abigail
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Charlotte #1 in 2012, Abigail #24 in 2010.
Charlotte · Abigail · 24 shared years, 2002–2025 · Peaked in the same years
- Emma vs Abigail
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Emma #1 in 2003, Abigail #29 in 2005.
Emma · Abigail · 28 shared years, 1997–2024 · Peaked in the same years
Other pairs from Norway lists
Pairs measured inside Norway's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.
- Ingrid vs Wenche
In 1945 they stood at #27 and #22 in Norway · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2008 they were #6 and #621.
Ingrid · Wenche · 58 shared years, 1945–2008 · Started together, ended far apart
- Anna vs Torill
In 1945 they stood at #38 and #39 in Norway · Girls, 1 places apart; by 2004 they were #10 and #599.
Anna · Torill · 55 shared years, 1945–2004 · Started together, ended far apart
- Ingrid vs Vigdis
In 1945 they stood at #27 and #32 in Norway · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2006 they were #6 and #583.
Ingrid · Vigdis · 52 shared years, 1945–2006 · Started together, ended far apart
- Anna vs Vigdis
In 1945 they stood at #38 and #32 in Norway · Girls, 6 places apart; by 2006 they were #10 and #583.
Anna · Vigdis · 52 shared years, 1945–2006 · Started together, ended far apart
Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s
Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.
- Grace vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #41 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2025 they were #27 and #4867.
Grace · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Ella vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #56 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 6 places apart; by 2025 they were #46 and #4867.
Ella · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Jasmine vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #55 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2025 they were #102 and #4867.
Jasmine · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Anna vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #47 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 3 places apart; by 2025 they were #142 and #4867.
Anna · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
Side by side
| Field | Gunnar | Jan |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | A form of Johannes used across many European languages, from Hebrew Yochanan via Greek Ioannes — 'Yahweh is gracious'. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Hebrew, via Dutch/Scandinavian/Central European transmission |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈjɑːn/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | England and Wales, Norway | New South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Norway, New Zealand |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Boys #250 (2025) | Norway · Boys #149 (2025) |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Jan has a recorded origin (Hebrew, via Dutch/Scandinavian/Central European transmission); Gunnar does not have one recorded yet.
- Gunnar has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Jan.
- A meaning is recorded for Jan; Gunnar doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, NO.
How each name got here
Gunnar
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #13 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in Norway, in 1946 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #3256 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys
Jan
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #2 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Norway, in 1946 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #639 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys