Jacob vs Louie
Jacob and Louiecompared 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 Louie #74 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Jacob was ranked #27 and Louie #45 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Jacob was ranked #30 and Louie #28 among boys in England and Wales.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Jacob was ranked #66 and Louie #37 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Jacob was ranked #42 and Louie #45 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Jacob was ranked #59 and Louie #180 among boys in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Jacob was ranked #62 and Louie #103 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Jacob and Louie over time
Jacob and Louie appear together in 3 published lists, across 75 years of shared records. Jacob held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Louie in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Jacob reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Louie 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.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Jacob held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Louie in 1.
Highest recorded here: Jacob #4 in 2013, Louie #28 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jacob #30, Louie #28.
Republic of Ireland · Boys25 shared years, 1995–2025
Jacob held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Louie in 0.
Highest recorded here: Jacob #37 in 2016, Louie #103 in 2025.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jacob #62, Louie #103.
Northern Ireland · Boys21 shared years, 2001–2024
Jacob held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Louie in 0.
Highest recorded here: Jacob #5 in 2017, Louie #74 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jacob #13, Louie #74.
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.
- Jacob vs Ashley
In 1996 they stood at #35 and #40 in England and Wales · Boys, 5 places apart; by 2024 they were #30 and #880.
Jacob · Ashley · 29 shared years, 1996–2024 · Started together, ended far apart
- Jacob vs Ben
In 1996 they stood at #35 and #34 in England and Wales · Boys, 1 places apart; by 2024 they were #30 and #509.
Jacob · Ben · 29 shared years, 1996–2024 · Started together, ended far apart
- Jacob vs Colin
In 1997 they stood at #94 and #96 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 2 places apart; by 2021 they were #16 and #433.
Jacob · Colin · 21 shared years, 1997–2021 · Started together, ended far apart
- Jacob vs Barry
In 1997 they stood at #94 and #90 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 4 places apart; by 2022 they were #19 and #414.
Jacob · Barry · 21 shared years, 1997–2022 · Started together, ended far apart
Side by side
| Field | Jacob | Louie |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| 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'. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek and Latin | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdʒeɪkəb/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| 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, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #42 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #45 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Jacob has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew, via Greek and Latin); Louie does not have one recorded yet.
- Jacob has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Louie.
- A meaning is recorded for Jacob; Louie doesn't have one written yet.
- 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
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
Louie
Popularity journey
First recorded1988
First recorded at #319 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1988 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #28 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #45 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys