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 #70 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 2024, Hamish was ranked #422 and Jamie #222 among boys in England and Wales.
Hamish and Jamie over time
Hamish and Jamie appear together in 4 published lists, across 90 years of shared records. Hamish held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Jamie in 1.
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 New Zealand · Boys for 38 years, from 1972 to 2009, ending at #72 and #53.
- 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 · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Hamish held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jamie in 29.
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, 2024: Hamish #422, Jamie #222.
Scotland · Boys15 shared years, 2024–2024
Hamish held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Jamie in 0.
Highest recorded here: Hamish #69 in 2024, Jamie #87 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Hamish #70, Jamie #87.
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.
Side by side
| Field | Hamish | Jamie |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Shares 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. |
| Origin | Scottish Gaelic | Scottish, diminutive of James |
| Pronunciation | /ˈheɪmɪʃ/ | /ˈd͡ʒeɪ.mi/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Seumas, James | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Scotland #25 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #47 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
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
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
Highest recorded2014–2025
Highest recorded position: #25 in Scotland, in 2025 (recorded 2014–2025).
Scotland
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #25 in Scotland, in 2025.
Scotland
Jamie
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2005 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #378 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys