Jack vs Patrick
Jack and Patrickcompared 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 2020, Jack was ranked #2 and Patrick #93 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Jack was ranked #2 and Patrick #25 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Jack was ranked #4 and Patrick #26 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Jack was ranked #7 and Patrick #125 among boys in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Jack was ranked #10 and Patrick #83 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Jack was ranked #22 and Patrick #120 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Jack was ranked #432 and Patrick #327 among boys in Norway.
Jack and Patrick over time
Jack and Patrick appear together in 6 published lists, across 247 years of shared records. Jack held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Patrick 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.
Patrick reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Jack 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 took the other's place near the top
In New Zealand · Boys, Jack moved into the top 50 at #46 in 1992 as Patrick fell out of it to #51, having been #47 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1990, Jack moved ahead of Patrick in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #44 and #32 the year before became #33 and #40.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 40 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Jack and Patrick averaged 42.3 places apart, ending at #10 and #83.
- Mirrored each other
Over 40 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Jack rose about as far as Patrick fell — from #95 and #40 in 1986 to #10 and #83 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Jack and Patrick were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 40 years, from 1986 to 2025, ending at #10 and #83.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Jack #1 in 1996, Patrick #66 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Boys67 shared years, 1948–2025
Jack held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Patrick in 53.
Highest recorded here: Jack #165 in 1962, Patrick #67 in 1989.
The order changed in 1970: Patrick moved ahead. In 1969 they stood at #283 and #304; by 1970 that had become #290 and #284.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jack #432, Patrick #327.
Republic of Ireland · Boys53 shared years, 1970–2025
Jack held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Patrick in 23.
Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 2000, Patrick #3 in 1970.
The order changed in 1996: Jack moved ahead. In 1995 they stood at #19 and #9; by 1996 that had become #12 and #13.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jack #2, Patrick #25.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys40 shared years, 1986–2025
Jack held the stronger position in 36 of those years, Patrick in 4.
Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 2003, Patrick #30 in 1994.
The order changed in 1990: Jack moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #44 and #32; by 1990 that had become #33 and #40.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jack #10, Patrick #83.
New Zealand · Boys30 shared years, 1988–2020
Jack held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Patrick in 4.
Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 2005, Patrick #47 in 1991.
The order changed in 1992: Jack moved ahead. In 1991 they stood at #69 and #47; by 1992 that had become #46 and #51.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Jack #2, Patrick #93.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Jack held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Patrick in 0.
Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 1996, Patrick #66 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jack #22, Patrick #120.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Jack held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Patrick in 0.
Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 2001, Patrick #18 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jack #4, Patrick #26.
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 | Patrick |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Latin Patricius, meaning 'nobleman, patrician'. Adopted by Saint Patrick (originally named Sucat), a Romanized Briton who Christianized Ireland and became its patron saint. |
| Origin | English, historically a diminutive of John | Latin |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdʒæk/ | /ˈpæt.ɹɪk/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Jankin | Pádraig, Pádraic |
| 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 #25 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | high |
What the data shows
- Jack is recorded with a English, historically a diminutive of John origin, while Patrick is recorded with a Latin origin.
- Jack has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Patrick.
- Jack's recorded meaning differs from Patrick's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
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
Patrick
Popularity journey
First recorded1948
First recorded at #315 among boys in Norway in 1948 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #83 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys