Namewise

Jack vs William

Jack and Williamcompared 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 William #73 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, Jack was ranked #432 and William #3 among boys in Norway.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2023, Jack was ranked #4 and William #14 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Jack was ranked #4 and William #64 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Jack was ranked #7 and William #66 among boys in Scotland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2025, Jack was ranked #10 and William #11 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Jack was ranked #24 and William #25 among boys in England and Wales.

Jack and William over time

Jack and William appear together in 6 published lists, across 265 years of shared records. Jack held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, William 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.

Jack reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, William 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 moved ahead of the other

    In 2012, Jack moved ahead of William in New Zealand · Boys — #10 and #5 the year before became #1 and #3.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Jack and William changed places 5 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1986 and 2025, ending at #10 and #11.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Jack and William averaged 8.5 places apart, ending at #24 and #25.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 78 shared years in Norway · Boys, William rose about as far as Jack fell — from #171 and #277 in 1945 to #432 and #3 in 2025.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Jack and William were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #24 and #25.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys78 shared years, 1945–2025

    Jack held the stronger position in 23 of those years, William in 55.

    Highest recorded here: Jack #151 in 1956, William #1 in 2012.

    The order changed in 1971: William moved ahead. In 1970 they stood at #290 and #393; by 1971 that had become #334 and #287.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jack #432, William #3.

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

    Jack held the stronger position in 33 of those years, William in 20.

    Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 2000, William #8 in 1970.

    The order changed in 1993: Jack moved ahead. In 1992 they stood at #50 and #29; by 1993 that had become #32 and #35.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jack #2, William #73.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys40 shared years, 1986–2025

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

    Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 2003, William #1 in 2009.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jack #10, William #11.

  • New Zealand · Boys36 shared years, 1988–2023

    Jack held the stronger position in 27 of those years, William in 9.

    Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 2005, William #3 in 2008.

    The order changed in 2012: Jack moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #10 and #5; by 2012 that had become #1 and #3.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Jack #4, William #14.

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

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

    Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 1996, William #7 in 2006.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jack #24, William #25.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

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

    Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 2001, William #26 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Jack #4, William #64.

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 William

Pairs where William 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 moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

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 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, William
FieldJackWilliam
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningGod is gracious (via John), though now used as an independent name.Commonly interpreted as 'resolute protector' or 'will helmet', combining the ideas of desire/will and protection.
OriginEnglish, historically a diminutive of JohnGermanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm)
Pronunciation/ˈdʒæk//ˈwɪljəm/
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)Norway · Boys #3 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10082/100
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 William is recorded with a Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm) origin.
  • Jack has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for William.
  • Jack's recorded meaning differs from William'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 William 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

William

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #277 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 recorded1952–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2009 (recorded 1952–2025).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #25 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys