Jack vs Oisin
Jack and Oisincompared 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 Oisin #262 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Jack was ranked #4 and Oisin #9 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Jack was ranked #7 and Oisin #234 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Jack was ranked #22 and Oisin #630 among boys in England and Wales.
Jack and Oisin over time
Jack and Oisin appear together in 3 published lists, across 110 years of shared records. Jack held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Oisin 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, and Oisin in none. 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 1989, Jack moved ahead of Oisin in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #122 and #103 the year before became #87 and #108.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Boys, Jack and Oisin averaged 23.1 places apart, ending at #4 and #9.
- Mirrored each other
Over 53 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Jack rose about as far as Oisin fell — from #305 and #163 in 1970 to #2 and #262 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Jack and Oisin were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 53 years, from 1970 to 2025, ending at #2 and #262.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys53 shared years, 1970–2025
Jack held the stronger position in 37 of those years, Oisin in 16.
Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 2000, Oisin #8 in 2016.
The order changed in 1989: Jack moved ahead. In 1988 they stood at #122 and #103; by 1989 that had become #87 and #108.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jack #2, Oisin #262.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Jack held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Oisin in 0.
Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 1996, Oisin #433 in 2021.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jack #22, Oisin #630.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Jack held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Oisin in 0.
Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 2001, Oisin #7 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jack #4, Oisin #9.
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 | Oisin |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Traditionally interpreted as 'little deer', combining an Old Irish word for deer or stag with a diminutive ending. |
| Origin | English, historically a diminutive of John | Irish |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdʒæk/ | /oʊˈʃiːn/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Jankin | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #2 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #262 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| 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 Oisin is recorded with a Irish origin.
- Jack has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Oisin.
- Jack's recorded meaning differs from Oisin's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
- The available evidence gives Jack a "high" Data Confidence level and Oisin 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
Oisin
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2022 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #262 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys