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 2024, Jacob was ranked #30 and Jake #185 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 155 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 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Jacob and Jake averaged 35.8 places apart, ending at #30 and #185.
- Longest-running competitions
Jacob and Jake were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 34 years, from 1986 to 2020, ending at #17 and #87.
- 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 · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Jacob held the stronger position in 19 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, 2024: Jacob #30, Jake #185.
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.
Side by side
| Field | Jacob | Jake |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Commonly 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. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek and Latin | English, medieval variant |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdʒeɪkəb/ | /ˈd͡ʒeɪk/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #42 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #95 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
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
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
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #4 among boys in England and Wales, in 2013 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #42 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Jake
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1986–2020
Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1994 (recorded 1986–2020).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #95 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys