Gustav vs John
Gustav and Johncompared 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, Gustav was ranked #19 and John #161 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2023, Gustav was ranked #2325 and John #158 among boys in England and Wales.
Gustav and John over time
Gustav and John appear together in 2 published lists, across 106 years of shared records. John held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Gustav 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.
John reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Gustav 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 2009, Gustav moved ahead of John in Norway · Boys — #125 and #116 the year before became #115 and #117.
- Longest-running competitions
Gustav and John were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #19 and #161.
List by list
Norway · Boys81 shared years, 1945–2025
Gustav held the stronger position in 17 of those years, John in 64.
Highest recorded here: Gustav #19 in 2025, John #12 in 1955.
The order changed in 2009: Gustav moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #125 and #116; by 2009 that had become #115 and #117.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Gustav #19, John #161.
England and Wales · Boys25 shared years, 1997–2023
Gustav held the stronger position in 0 of those years, John in 25.
Highest recorded here: Gustav #1786 in 2015, John #49 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Gustav #2325, John #158.
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 | Gustav | 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 | Not yet recorded | /ˈjɔn/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, NO | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Boys #19 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #29 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 60/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- John has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Gustav does not have one recorded yet.
- Gustav has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for John.
- A meaning is recorded for John; Gustav doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, NO.
How each name got here
Gustav
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #154 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: #19 among boys in Norway, in 2025 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #19 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · 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 #161 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys