Namewise

Jackson vs William

Jackson 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.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2025, Jackson was ranked #90 and William #11 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2023, Jackson was ranked #41 and William #14 among boys in New Zealand.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Jackson was ranked #131 and William #27 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Jackson was ranked #154 and William #64 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Jackson was ranked #130 and William #66 among boys in Scotland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Jackson was ranked #198 and William #73 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

Jackson and William over time

Jackson and William appear together in 5 published lists, across 145 years of shared records. William held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Jackson in 0.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

William reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Jackson 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.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 36 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Jackson and William averaged 35.7 places apart, ending at #90 and #11.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Jackson and William were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 36 years, from 1990 to 2025, ending at #90 and #11.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — Jackson #27 in 2007, William #1 in 2009.

List by list

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys36 shared years, 19902025

    Jackson held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 36.

    Highest recorded here: Jackson #27 in 2007, William #1 in 2009.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jackson #90, William #11.

  • New Zealand · Boys31 shared years, 19932023

    Jackson held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 31.

    Highest recorded here: Jackson #21 in 2014, William #3 in 2008.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Jackson #41, William #14.

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 19962024

    Jackson held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 29.

    Highest recorded here: Jackson #74 in 2017, William #7 in 2006.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Jackson #131, William #27.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 19972024

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

    Highest recorded here: Jackson #68 in 2016, William #26 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Jackson #154, William #64.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys21 shared years, 20052025

    Jackson held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Jackson #99 in 2017, William #43 in 2013.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jackson #198, William #73.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Jackson, William
FieldJacksonWilliam
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedCommonly interpreted as 'resolute protector' or 'will helmet', combining the ideas of desire/will and protection.
OriginNot yet recordedGermanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm)
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˈwɪljəm/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNew South Wales, Australia · Boys #90 (2025)Norway · Boys #3 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • William has a recorded origin (Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm)); Jackson does not have one recorded yet.
  • Jackson and William both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for William; Jackson doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Jackson

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1990

    First recorded at #89 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1990 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1993–2023

    Highest recorded position: #21 among boys in New Zealand, in 2014 (recorded 1993–2023).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #90 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · 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 #11 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys