Namewise

Jacob vs Joshua

Jacob and Joshuacompared 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 Joshua #63 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Jacob was ranked #27 and Joshua #60 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Jacob was ranked #30 and Joshua #50 among boys in England and Wales.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2024, Jacob was ranked #34 and Joshua #76 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, Jacob was ranked #59 and Joshua #405 among boys in Norway.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Jacob was ranked #62 and Joshua #81 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2023, Jacob was ranked #66 and Joshua #67 among boys in New Zealand.

Jacob and Joshua over time

Jacob and Joshua appear together in 6 published lists, across 230 years of shared records. Joshua held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Jacob in 1.

The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Joshua reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 6 of those lists, and Jacob in none. 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 2011, Jacob moved ahead of Joshua in England and Wales · Boys — #12 and #8 the year before became #7 and #9.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Jacob and Joshua changed places 5 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1977 and 2023, ending at #66 and #67.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Jacob and Joshua averaged 15.4 places apart, ending at #30 and #50.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Jacob and Joshua were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 43 years, from 1982 to 2024, ending at #34 and #76.

List by list

  • New Zealand · Boys45 shared years, 1977–2023

    Jacob held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Joshua in 35.

    Highest recorded here: Jacob #6 in 2003, Joshua #1 in 1995.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Jacob #66, Joshua #67.

  • Norway · Boys45 shared years, 1973–2025

    Jacob held the stronger position in 45 of those years, Joshua in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Jacob #34 in 2017, Joshua #255 in 2007.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jacob #59, Joshua #405.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys43 shared years, 1982–2024

    Jacob held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Joshua in 31.

    Highest recorded here: Jacob #10 in 1999, Joshua #1 in 1993.

    The order changed in 2013: Jacob moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #11 and #8; by 2013 that had become #12 and #15.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Jacob #34, Joshua #76.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys40 shared years, 1980–2025

    Jacob held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Joshua in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Jacob #37 in 2016, Joshua #17 in 2003.

    The order changed in 2016: Jacob moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #49 and #47; by 2016 that had become #37 and #44.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jacob #62, Joshua #81.

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024

    Jacob held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Joshua in 15.

    Highest recorded here: Jacob #4 in 2013, Joshua #2 in 2002.

    The order changed in 2011: Jacob moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #12 and #8; by 2011 that had become #7 and #9.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Jacob #30, Joshua #50.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Jacob held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Joshua in 15.

    Highest recorded here: Jacob #5 in 2017, Joshua #6 in 2002.

    The order changed in 2012: Jacob moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #22 and #16; by 2012 that had become #12 and #13.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Jacob #13, Joshua #63.

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 Joshua

Pairs where Joshua 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 England and Wales lists

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

England and Wales 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, Joshua
FieldJacobJoshua
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'.From Hebrew Yehoshua, combining 'yeho' (referring to God) with 'yasha' ('to save') — 'Yahweh is salvation'. Joshua succeeded Moses as leader of the Israelites in the Old Testament.
OriginBiblical Hebrew, via Greek and LatinBiblical Hebrew
Pronunciation/ˈdʒeɪkəb//ˈd͡ʒɑʃ.u.ə/
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, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNew South Wales, Australia · Boys #42 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #81 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10088/100
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 Joshua is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
  • Jacob and Joshua both have 2 syllables.
  • Jacob's recorded meaning differs from Joshua's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, 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 recorded1996–2024

    Highest recorded position: #4 among boys in England and Wales, in 2013 (recorded 1996–2024).

    England and Wales · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #42 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

Joshua

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1971

    First recorded at #77 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1971 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1971–2024

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1993 (recorded 1971–2024).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #405 among boys in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Boys