Namewise

Jacob vs Jake

Jacob and Jakecompared 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.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Jacob was ranked #13 and Jake #84 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2020, Jacob was ranked #17 and Jake #87 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2017, Jacob was ranked #27 and Jake #96 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Jacob was ranked #27 and Jake #165 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Jacob was ranked #41 and Jake #235 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Jacob was ranked #62 and Jake #95 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

Jacob and Jake over time

Jacob and Jake appear together in 5 published lists, across 156 years of shared records. Jacob held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Jake in 2.

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.

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

    In 2008, Jacob moved ahead of Jake in England and Wales · Boys — #20 and #18 the year before became #20 and #23.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Jacob and Jake changed places 5 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1987 and 2025, ending at #62 and #95.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Jacob and Jake averaged 41.1 places apart, ending at #41 and #235.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Jacob and Jake were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #41 and #235.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Boys within 2 years — Jacob #6 in 2003, Jake #44 in 2005.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys38 shared years, 1987–2025

    Jacob held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Jake in 35.

    Highest recorded here: Jacob #37 in 2016, Jake #25 in 2015.

    The order changed in 2025: Jacob moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #64 and #62; by 2025 that had become #62 and #95.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jacob #62, Jake #95.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys34 shared years, 1986–2020

    Jacob held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Jake in 7.

    Highest recorded here: Jacob #10 in 1999, Jake #7 in 1994.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2020: Jacob #17, Jake #87.

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

    Jacob held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Jake in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Jacob #4 in 2013, Jake #15 in 2006.

    The order changed in 2008: Jacob moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #20 and #18; by 2008 that had become #20 and #23.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jacob #41, Jake #235.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Jacob held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Jake in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Jacob #5 in 2017, Jake #10 in 2015.

    The order changed in 2016: Jacob moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #12 and #10; by 2016 that had become #7 and #16.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Jacob #13, Jake #84.

  • New Zealand · Boys26 shared years, 1991–2017

    Jacob held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Jake in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Jacob #6 in 2003, Jake #44 in 2005.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2017: Jacob #27, Jake #96.

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 Jacob

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

Other comparisons involving Jake

Pairs where Jake 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 Northern Ireland lists

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

Northern Ireland 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 Jacob, Jake
FieldJacobJake
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningCommonly interpreted as 'holder of the heel' or 'supplanter', referencing the biblical account of Jacob being born grasping his twin brother Esau's heel. A less common alternate theory holds it may derive from a longer form meaning roughly 'may God protect'.A medieval variant of Jack, also sometimes used as a short form of Jacob.
OriginBiblical Hebrew, via Greek and LatinEnglish, medieval variant
Pronunciation/ˈdʒeɪkəb//ˈd͡ʒeɪk/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Boys #41 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #95 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Jacob is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek and Latin origin, while Jake is recorded with a English, medieval variant origin.
  • Jacob and Jake both have 2 syllables.
  • Jacob's recorded meaning differs from Jake's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Jacob

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #273 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: #4 among boys in England and Wales, in 2013 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #41 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Jake

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1983

    First recorded at #330 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1983 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1986–2020

    Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1994 (recorded 1986–2020).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #235 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys