Namewise

Jack vs Paul

Jack and Paulcompared 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 South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 1998, Jack was ranked #2 and Paul #86 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Jack was ranked #2 and Paul #286 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Jack was ranked #4 and Paul #278 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 1998, Jack was ranked #6 and Paul #86 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Jack was ranked #7 and Paul #290 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Jack was ranked #24 and Paul #602 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2024, Jack was ranked #426 and Paul #370 among boys in Norway.

Jack and Paul over time

Jack and Paul appear together in 6 published lists, across 210 years of shared records. Jack held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Paul in 1.

The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Paul reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Jack 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 took the other's place near the top

    In New Zealand · Boys, Jack moved into the top 50 at #46 in 1992 as Paul fell out of it to #53, having been #50 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1990, Jack moved ahead of Paul in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #44 and #42 the year before became #33 and #46.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Jack and Paul changed places 4 times in Norway · Boys between 1945 and 2024, ending at #426 and #370.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Jack and Paul were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #24 and #602.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Jack #1 in 1996, Paul #72 in 1996.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys77 shared years, 1945–2024

    Jack held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Paul in 72.

    Highest recorded here: Jack #151 in 1956, Paul #67 in 1946.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Jack #426, Paul #370.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys53 shared years, 1970–2025

    Jack held the stronger position in 31 of those years, Paul in 22.

    Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 2000, Paul #3 in 1978.

    The order changed in 1995: Jack moved ahead. In 1994 they stood at #33 and #16; by 1995 that had become #19 and #21.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jack #2, Paul #286.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Jack held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Paul in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 1996, Paul #72 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jack #24, Paul #602.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Jack held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Paul in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 2001, Paul #27 in 1997.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Jack #4, Paul #278.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys12 shared years, 1986–1998

    Jack held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Paul in 4.

    Highest recorded here: Jack #2 in 1998, Paul #25 in 1986.

    The order changed in 1990: Jack moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #44 and #42; by 1990 that had become #33 and #46.

    Most recent shared year, 1998: Jack #2, Paul #86.

  • New Zealand · Boys10 shared years, 1988–1998

    Jack held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Paul in 4.

    Highest recorded here: Jack #6 in 1998, Paul #32 in 1988.

    The order changed in 1992: Jack moved ahead. In 1991 they stood at #69 and #50; by 1992 that had become #46 and #53.

    Most recent shared year, 1998: Jack #6, Paul #86.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Jack

Pairs where Jack shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Paul

Pairs where Paul shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — peaked in the same years.

All peaked in the same years→

Other pairs from England and Wales lists

Pairs measured inside England and Wales's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

England and Wales overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Jack, Paul
FieldJackPaul
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningGod is gracious (via John), though now used as an independent name.From the Roman name Paulus, meaning 'small' in Latin. Saint Paul, originally named Saul, converted to Christianity and became a key missionary figure, authoring several New Testament epistles.
OriginEnglish, historically a diminutive of JohnLatin
Pronunciation/ˈdʒæk//ˈpɔːl/
Syllables11
Common variants / nicknamesJankinNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #2 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #286 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

What the data shows

  • Jack is recorded with a English, historically a diminutive of John origin, while Paul is recorded with a Latin origin.
  • Jack and Paul both have 1 syllable.
  • Jack's recorded meaning differs from Paul'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 Paul 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

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in England and Wales, in 1996 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #24 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Paul

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #73 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1954–1998

    Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New Zealand, in 1965 (recorded 1954–1998).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #602 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys