Harry vs James
Harry and Jamescompared 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.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Harry was ranked #13 and James #1 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Harry was ranked #25 and James #4 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Harry was ranked #31 and James #14 among boys in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Harry was ranked #39 and James #15 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Harry was ranked #40 and James #15 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Harry was ranked #20 and James #40 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2019, Harry was ranked #431 and James #273 among boys in Norway.
Harry and James over time
Harry and James appear together in 6 published lists, across 222 years of shared records. James held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Harry 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.
James reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Harry in 2. 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, Harry moved ahead of James in England and Wales · Boys — #9 and #4 the year before became #5 and #6.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Harry and James averaged 10.1 places apart, ending at #20 and #40.
- Longest-running competitions
Harry and James were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 33 years, from 1992 to 2025, ending at #39 and #15.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys57 shared years, 1965–2025
Harry held the stronger position in 0 of those years, James in 57.
Highest recorded here: Harry #6 in 2018, James #1 in 1994.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Harry #25, James #4.
Norway · Boys45 shared years, 1945–2019
Harry held the stronger position in 25 of those years, James in 20.
Highest recorded here: Harry #69 in 1946, James #218 in 1978.
The order changed in 1997: James moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #574 and #578; by 1997 that had become #410 and #390.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Harry #431, James #273.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys33 shared years, 1992–2025
Harry held the stronger position in 0 of those years, James in 33.
Highest recorded here: Harry #15 in 2018, James #3 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Harry #39, James #15.
New Zealand · Boys30 shared years, 1994–2023
Harry held the stronger position in 0 of those years, James in 30.
Highest recorded here: Harry #22 in 2018, James #2 in 2007.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Harry #40, James #15.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Harry held the stronger position in 19 of those years, James in 10.
Highest recorded here: Harry #1 in 2011, James #2 in 1997.
The order changed in 2006: Harry moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #9 and #4; by 2006 that had become #5 and #6.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Harry #20, James #40.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Harry held the stronger position in 0 of those years, James in 28.
Highest recorded here: Harry #4 in 2012, James #1 in 2015.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Harry #13, James #1.
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 | Harry | James |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | A diminutive/pet form, inheriting its meaning from Henry — 'home ruler' — and functioning, in modern times, as a nickname for both Henry and names beginning with 'Har-'. During the Middle Ages in England, Henry was generally rendered as Harry or Herry in English pronunciation. | Supplanter, held by the heel (traditional interpretation via Jacob). |
| Origin | English, medieval form/diminutive of Henry | Hebrew, via Late Latin Iacomus |
| Pronunciation | /ˈhæri/ | /ˈdʒeɪmz/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Jim, Jamie, Iacomus |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #25 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #4 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Harry is recorded with a English, medieval form/diminutive of Henry origin, while James is recorded with a Hebrew, via Late Latin Iacomus origin.
- Harry and James both have 2 syllables.
- Harry's recorded meaning differs from James's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Harry a "medium" Data Confidence level and James a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Harry
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #70 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in England and Wales, in 2011 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #39 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
James
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #344 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2015 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #15 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys