Jack vs Jake
Jack and Jakecompared 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.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2017, Jack was ranked #2 and Jake #96 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Jack was ranked #2 and Jake #95 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Jack was ranked #4 and Jake #84 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2020, Jack was ranked #7 and Jake #87 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Jack was ranked #7 and Jake #165 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Jack was ranked #22 and Jake #185 among boys in England and Wales.
Jack and Jake over time
Jack and Jake appear together in 5 published lists, across 158 years of shared records. Jack held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Jake 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.
Jack reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Jake 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 1995, Jack moved ahead of Jake in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #11 and #7 the year before became #6 and #10.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Jack and Jake changed places 5 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1986 and 2020, ending at #7 and #87.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Jack and Jake averaged 45.3 places apart, ending at #22 and #185.
- Longest-running competitions
Jack and Jake were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 34 years, from 1986 to 2020, ending at #7 and #87.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Boys within 2 years — Jack #1 in 2005, Jake #44 in 2005.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys41 shared years, 1983–2025
Jack held the stronger position in 41 of those years, Jake in 0.
Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 2000, Jake #25 in 2015.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jack #2, Jake #95.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys34 shared years, 1986–2020
Jack held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Jake in 6.
Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 2003, Jake #7 in 1994.
The order changed in 1995: Jack moved ahead. In 1994 they stood at #11 and #7; by 1995 that had become #6 and #10.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Jack #7, Jake #87.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Jack held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Jake in 0.
Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 1996, Jake #15 in 2006.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jack #22, Jake #185.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Jack held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Jake in 0.
Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 2001, Jake #10 in 2015.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jack #4, Jake #84.
New Zealand · Boys26 shared years, 1991–2017
Jack held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Jake in 0.
Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 2005, Jake #44 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2017: Jack #2, Jake #96.
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 | Jack | Jake |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | God is gracious (via John), though now used as an independent name. | A medieval variant of Jack, also sometimes used as a short form of Jacob. |
| Origin | English, historically a diminutive of John | English, medieval variant |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdʒæk/ | /ˈd͡ʒeɪk/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Jankin | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #2 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #95 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Jack is recorded with a English, historically a diminutive of John origin, while Jake is recorded with a English, medieval variant origin.
- Jack has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Jake.
- Jack's recorded meaning differs from Jake'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 Jack a "high" Data Confidence level and Jake a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Jack
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #171 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 1996 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #10 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Jake
Popularity journey
First recorded1983
First recorded at #330 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1983 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1986–2020
Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1994 (recorded 1986–2020).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #95 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys