Jack vs Stephen
Jack and Stephencompared 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 Stephen #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Jack was ranked #4 and Stephen #305 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1997, Jack was ranked #5 and Stephen #100 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Jack was ranked #7 and Stephen #535 among boys in Scotland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1997, Jack was ranked #12 and Stephen #95 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Jack was ranked #22 and Stephen #651 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2000, Jack was ranked #394 and Stephen #527 among boys in Norway.
Jack and Stephen over time
Jack and Stephen appear together in 6 published lists, across 180 years of shared records. Jack held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Stephen in 0.
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.
Stephen reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 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 Stephen fell out of it to #56, having been #49 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1990, Jack moved ahead of Stephen in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #44 and #39 the year before became #33 and #43.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Jack and Stephen changed places 8 times in Norway · Boys between 1946 and 2000, ending at #394 and #527.
- Longest-running competitions
Jack and Stephen were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 48 years, from 1946 to 2000, ending at #394 and #527.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Jack #1 in 1996, Stephen #60 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys53 shared years, 1970–2025
Jack held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Stephen in 24.
Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 2000, Stephen #4 in 1983.
The order changed in 1997: Jack moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #12 and #10; by 1997 that had become #10 and #14.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jack #2, Stephen #232.
Norway · Boys48 shared years, 1946–2000
Jack held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Stephen in 16.
Highest recorded here: Jack #151 in 1956, Stephen #210 in 1956.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2000: Jack #394, Stephen #527.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Jack held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Stephen in 0.
Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 1996, Stephen #60 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jack #22, Stephen #651.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Jack held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Stephen in 0.
Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 2001, Stephen #21 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jack #4, Stephen #305.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys12 shared years, 1986–1997
Jack held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Stephen in 4.
Highest recorded here: Jack #5 in 1996, Stephen #34 in 1986.
The order changed in 1990: Jack moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #44 and #39; by 1990 that had become #33 and #43.
Most recent shared year, 1997: Jack #5, Stephen #100.
New Zealand · Boys10 shared years, 1988–1997
Jack held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Stephen in 4.
Highest recorded here: Jack #12 in 1996, Stephen #41 in 1988.
The order changed in 1992: Jack moved ahead. In 1991 they stood at #69 and #49; by 1992 that had become #46 and #56.
Most recent shared year, 1997: Jack #12, Stephen #95.
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 | Stephen |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Stephanos, meaning 'crown, wreath' — literally 'that which surrounds'. Saint Stephen, a deacon stoned to death in the New Testament, is regarded as the first Christian martyr. |
| Origin | English, historically a diminutive of John | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdʒæk/ | /ˈstiː.vən/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Jankin | Steven, Stefan, Stephan |
| 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 #232 (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 Stephen is recorded with a Greek origin.
- Jack has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Stephen.
- Jack's recorded meaning differs from Stephen'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
Stephen
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #352 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–1997
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1955 (recorded 1952–1997).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys