Namewise

Hamish vs Jamie

Hamish and Jamiecompared 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 2019, Hamish was ranked #402 and Jamie #19 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2009, Hamish was ranked #72 and Jamie #53 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Hamish was ranked #69 and Jamie #87 among boys in Scotland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2007, Hamish was ranked #79 and Jamie #100 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2023, Hamish was ranked #395 and Jamie #98 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Hamish was ranked #484 and Jamie #245 among boys in England and Wales.

Hamish and Jamie over time

Hamish and Jamie appear together in 3 published lists, across 76 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

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.

Jamie reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Hamish 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 2006, Jamie moved ahead of Hamish in New Zealand · Boys — #56 and #62 the year before became #66 and #59.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Hamish and Jamie changed places 5 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1972 and 2009, ending at #72 and #53.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 38 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Hamish and Jamie averaged 13.0 places apart, ending at #72 and #53.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Hamish and Jamie were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #484 and #245.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Hamish #222 in 1998, Jamie #28 in 1996.

List by list

  • New Zealand · Boys38 shared years, 1972–2009

    Hamish held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Jamie in 19.

    Highest recorded here: Hamish #27 in 1999, Jamie #23 in 1990.

    The order changed in 2006: Jamie moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #56 and #62; by 2006 that had become #66 and #59.

    Most recent shared year, 2009: Hamish #72, Jamie #53.

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

    Hamish held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jamie in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Hamish #222 in 1998, Jamie #28 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Hamish #484, Jamie #245.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys8 shared years, 1997–2007

    Hamish held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Jamie in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Hamish #68 in 2004, Jamie #89 in 2006.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2007: Hamish #79, Jamie #100.

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 Hamish

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

Other comparisons involving Jamie

Pairs where Jamie 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 — closest over the longest run.

All closest over the longest run→

Other pairs from New Zealand lists

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

New Zealand overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2000s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2000 and 2009.

The 2000s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Hamish, Jamie
FieldHamishJamie
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningShares the meaning of James: commonly interpreted as 'supplanter' (Hebrew, via James/Jacob).Originally a Lowland Scots diminutive of James; used as a feminine name too since the late 19th century.
OriginScottish GaelicScottish, diminutive of James
Pronunciation/ˈheɪmɪʃ//ˈd͡ʒeɪ.mi/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesSeumas, JamesNot 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 observationScotland #25 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #47 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

What the data shows

  • Hamish is recorded with a Scottish Gaelic origin, while Jamie is recorded with a Scottish, diminutive of James origin.
  • Hamish and Jamie both have 2 syllables.
  • Hamish's recorded meaning differs from Jamie's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Hamish a "high" Data Confidence level and Jamie a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

Hamish

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #95 among boys in New Zealand in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New Zealand · Boys

  2. Highest recorded2014–2025

    Highest recorded position: #25 in Scotland, in 2025 (recorded 2014–2025).

    Scotland

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #484 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Jamie

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1965

    First recorded at #91 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1997–2024

    Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2005 (recorded 1997–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1719 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls