Namewise

Jack vs Steven

Jack and Stevencompared 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 2000, Jack was ranked #2 and Steven #84 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2022, Jack was ranked #2 and Steven #414 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Jack was ranked #2 and Steven #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Jack was ranked #7 and Steven #307 among boys in Scotland.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 1997, Jack was ranked #12 and Steven #77 among boys in New Zealand.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Jack was ranked #24 and Steven #976 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2017, Jack was ranked #379 and Steven #487 among boys in Norway.

Jack and Steven over time

Jack and Steven appear together in 6 published lists, across 188 years of shared records. Jack held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Steven 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.

Steven 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 took the other's place near the top

    In New Zealand · Boys, Jack moved into the top 50 at #37 in 1993 as Steven fell out of it to #51, having been #44 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1991, Jack moved ahead of Steven in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #33 and #30 the year before became #26 and #34.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Jack and Steven changed places 16 times in Norway · Boys between 1946 and 2017, ending at #379 and #487.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Jack and Steven were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #24 and #976.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Jack #1 in 1996, Steven #73 in 1996.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys57 shared years, 1946–2017

    Jack held the stronger position in 37 of those years, Steven in 20.

    Highest recorded here: Jack #165 in 1962, Steven #224 in 1983.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2017: Jack #379, Steven #487.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys52 shared years, 1970–2025

    Jack held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Steven in 18.

    Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 2000, Steven #57 in 1990.

    The order changed in 1991: Jack moved ahead. In 1990 they stood at #85 and #57; by 1991 that had become #64 and #65.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jack #2, Steven #829.

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

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

    Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 1996, Steven #73 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jack #24, Steven #976.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys24 shared years, 1997–2022

    Jack held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Steven in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 2001, Steven #54 in 1998.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Jack #2, Steven #414.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys15 shared years, 1986–2000

    Jack held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Steven in 5.

    Highest recorded here: Jack #2 in 1998, Steven #27 in 1986.

    The order changed in 1991: Jack moved ahead. In 1990 they stood at #33 and #30; by 1991 that had become #26 and #34.

    Most recent shared year, 2000: Jack #2, Steven #84.

  • New Zealand · Boys10 shared years, 1988–1997

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

    Highest recorded here: Jack #12 in 1996, Steven #35 in 1988.

    The order changed in 1993: Jack moved ahead. In 1992 they stood at #46 and #44; by 1993 that had become #37 and #51.

    Most recent shared year, 1997: Jack #12, Steven #77.

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 Steven

Pairs where Steven 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 — one took the other's place near the top.

All one took the other's place near the top→

Other pairs from New Zealand lists

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

New Zealand overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 1990s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1990 and 1999.

The 1990s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Jack, Steven
FieldJackSteven
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningGod is gracious (via John), though now used as an independent name.Not yet recorded
OriginEnglish, historically a diminutive of JohnNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈdʒæk/
Syllables12
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 #829 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

What the data shows

  • Jack has a recorded origin (English, historically a diminutive of John); Steven does not have one recorded yet.
  • Jack has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Steven.
  • A meaning is recorded for Jack; Steven doesn't have one written yet.
  • 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 Steven 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

Steven

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1946

    First recorded at #363 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1952–2000

    Highest recorded position: #12 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1961 (recorded 1952–2000).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #976 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys