Namewise

Jacob vs Lachlan

Jacob and Lachlancompared 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 Lachlan #278 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Jacob was ranked #27 and Lachlan #88 among boys in Scotland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2025, Jacob was ranked #42 and Lachlan #34 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2023, Jacob was ranked #66 and Lachlan #34 among boys in New Zealand.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Jacob was ranked #41 and Lachlan #283 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Jacob was ranked #62 and Lachlan #317 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

Jacob and Lachlan over time

Jacob and Lachlan appear together in 5 published lists, across 133 years of shared records. Jacob held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Lachlan in 1.

The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Jacob reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Lachlan 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 2025, Lachlan moved ahead of Jacob in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #34 and #38 the year before became #42 and #34.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Jacob and Lachlan changed places 7 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1982 and 2025, ending at #42 and #34.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 43 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Jacob and Lachlan averaged 11.0 places apart, ending at #42 and #34.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Jacob and Lachlan were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #41 and #283.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Jacob #37 in 2016, Lachlan #263 in 2016.

List by list

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys43 shared years, 1982–2025

    Jacob held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Lachlan in 22.

    Highest recorded here: Jacob #10 in 1999, Lachlan #2 in 2005.

    The order changed in 2025: Lachlan moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #34 and #38; by 2025 that had become #42 and #34.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jacob #42, Lachlan #34.

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

    Jacob held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Lachlan in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Jacob #4 in 2013, Lachlan #283 in 2025.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jacob #41, Lachlan #283.

  • New Zealand · Boys26 shared years, 1997–2023

    Jacob held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Lachlan in 8.

    Highest recorded here: Jacob #6 in 2003, Lachlan #13 in 2018.

    The order changed in 2016: Lachlan moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #10 and #25; by 2016 that had become #25 and #21.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Jacob #66, Lachlan #34.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys24 shared years, 1997–2025

    Jacob held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Lachlan in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Jacob #37 in 2016, Lachlan #263 in 2016.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jacob #62, Lachlan #317.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys10 shared years, 1998–2024

    Jacob held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Lachlan in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Jacob #7 in 2016, Lachlan #226 in 2021.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Jacob #13, Lachlan #278.

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 Lachlan

Pairs where Lachlan 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 — closest over the longest run.

All closest over the longest run→

Other pairs from New South Wales, Australia lists

Pairs measured inside New South Wales, Australia'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 South Wales, Australia 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, Lachlan
FieldJacobLachlan
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'.Traditionally understood as 'Viking' or 'Scandinavian' via its root name — someone associated with the land of the Norsemen. A secondary reading of that root gives 'land of the lakes'.
OriginBiblical Hebrew, via Greek and LatinScottish Gaelic (Anglicised), from Lochlann ('Scandinavia')
Pronunciation/ˈdʒeɪkəb//ˈlɒklən/
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)New South Wales, Australia · Boys #34 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10082/100
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 Lachlan is recorded with a Scottish Gaelic (Anglicised), from Lochlann ('Scandinavia') origin.
  • Jacob and Lachlan both have 2 syllables.
  • Jacob's recorded meaning differs from Lachlan'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

Lachlan

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1982

    First recorded at #95 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1982 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1982–2025

    Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2005 (recorded 1982–2025).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #283 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys