Jack vs Nicholas
Jack and Nicholascompared 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 2025, Jack was ranked #2 and Nicholas #198 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Jack was ranked #4 and Nicholas #305 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Jack was ranked #7 and Nicholas #191 among boys in Scotland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2011, Jack was ranked #10 and Nicholas #94 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2024, Jack was ranked #14 and Nicholas #91 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Jack was ranked #22 and Nicholas #211 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Jack was ranked #432 and Nicholas #325 among boys in Norway.
Jack and Nicholas over time
Jack and Nicholas appear together in 6 published lists, across 235 years of shared records. Jack held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Nicholas in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Nicholas reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Jack 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 Nicholas in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #11 and #9 the year before became #6 and #8.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Jack and Nicholas changed places 5 times in Norway · Boys between 1951 and 2025, ending at #432 and #325.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 38 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Jack and Nicholas averaged 31.0 places apart, ending at #14 and #91.
- Mirrored each other
Over 53 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Jack rose about as far as Nicholas fell — from #305 and #81 in 1970 to #2 and #198 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Jack and Nicholas were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 38 years, from 1986 to 2024, ending at #14 and #91.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Jack #1 in 1996, Nicholas #52 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Boys63 shared years, 1951–2025
Jack held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Nicholas in 47.
Highest recorded here: Jack #151 in 1956, Nicholas #126 in 2004.
The order changed in 1979: Nicholas moved ahead. In 1978 they stood at #418 and #528; by 1979 that had become #579 and #343.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jack #432, Nicholas #325.
Republic of Ireland · Boys53 shared years, 1970–2025
Jack held the stronger position in 35 of those years, Nicholas in 18.
Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 2000, Nicholas #77 in 1988.
The order changed in 1991: Jack moved ahead. In 1990 they stood at #85 and #82; by 1991 that had become #64 and #95.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jack #2, Nicholas #198.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys38 shared years, 1986–2024
Jack held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Nicholas in 9.
Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 2003, Nicholas #6 in 2002.
The order changed in 1995: Jack moved ahead. In 1994 they stood at #11 and #9; by 1995 that had become #6 and #8.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jack #14, Nicholas #91.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Jack held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Nicholas in 0.
Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 1996, Nicholas #52 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jack #22, Nicholas #211.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Jack held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Nicholas in 0.
Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 2001, Nicholas #104 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jack #4, Nicholas #305.
New Zealand · Boys24 shared years, 1988–2011
Jack held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Nicholas in 8.
Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 2005, Nicholas #10 in 1994.
The order changed in 1996: Jack moved ahead. In 1995 they stood at #19 and #12; by 1996 that had become #12 and #15.
Most recent shared year, 2011: Jack #10, Nicholas #94.
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 | Nicholas |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | From Greek Nikolaos, combining 'nike' (victory) and 'laos' (people) — 'victory of the people'. Associated with Saint Nicholas, a 4th-century bishop and the inspiration for Santa Claus. |
| Origin | English, historically a diminutive of John | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdʒæk/ | /ˈnɪk.ə.ləs/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 3 |
| 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, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #2 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #198 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 76/100 |
| 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 Nicholas is recorded with a Greek origin.
- Jack has 1 syllable, compared with 3 for Nicholas.
- Jack's recorded meaning differs from Nicholas'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 Jack a "high" Data Confidence level and Nicholas 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
Nicholas
Popularity journey
First recorded1951
First recorded at #384 among boys in Norway in 1951 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1955–2024
Highest recorded position: #6 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2002 (recorded 1955–2024).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #325 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys