Namewise

Jacob vs Noah

Jacob and Noahcompared 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.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2025, Jacob was ranked #42 and Noah #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2023, Jacob was ranked #66 and Noah #1 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, Jacob was ranked #59 and Noah #1 among boys in Norway.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Jacob was ranked #27 and Noah #1 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Jacob was ranked #41 and Noah #2 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Jacob was ranked #13 and Noah #3 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Jacob was ranked #62 and Noah #3 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

Jacob and Noah over time

Jacob and Noah appear together in 6 published lists, across 171 years of shared records. Noah held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Jacob in 2.

The order between them changed and held in 6 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 6 of those lists, and Noah 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 2017, Noah moved ahead of Jacob in England and Wales · Boys — #5 and #6 the year before became #6 and #4.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Jacob and Noah changed places 5 times in New Zealand · Boys between 2001 and 2023, ending at #66 and #1.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Jacob and Noah averaged 43.0 places apart, ending at #41 and #2.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Jacob and Noah were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #41 and #2.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Jacob #5 in 2017, Noah #1 in 2018.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys33 shared years, 1990–2025

    Jacob held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Noah in 23.

    Highest recorded here: Jacob #34 in 2017, Noah #1 in 2021.

    The order changed in 2003: Noah moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #65 and #75; by 2003 that had become #68 and #45.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jacob #59, Noah #1.

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

    Jacob held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Noah in 9.

    Highest recorded here: Jacob #4 in 2013, Noah #1 in 2021.

    The order changed in 2017: Noah moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #5 and #6; by 2017 that had become #6 and #4.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jacob #41, Noah #2.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Jacob held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Noah in 22.

    Highest recorded here: Jacob #37 in 2016, Noah #2 in 2021.

    The order changed in 2004: Noah moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #115 and #132; by 2004 that had become #134 and #79.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jacob #62, Noah #3.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys28 shared years, 1998–2025

    Jacob held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Noah in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Jacob #10 in 1999, Noah #1 in 2022.

    The order changed in 2005: Noah moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #16 and #30; by 2005 that had become #17 and #16.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jacob #42, Noah #1.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys27 shared years, 1998–2024

    Jacob held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Noah in 20.

    Highest recorded here: Jacob #5 in 2017, Noah #1 in 2018.

    The order changed in 2005: Noah moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #69 and #108; by 2005 that had become #62 and #55.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Jacob #13, Noah #3.

  • New Zealand · Boys23 shared years, 2001–2023

    Jacob held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Noah in 11.

    Highest recorded here: Jacob #6 in 2003, Noah #1 in 2023.

    The order changed in 2016: Noah moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #10 and #11; by 2016 that had become #25 and #7.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Jacob #66, Noah #1.

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 Noah

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

  • Noah vs Elijah

    Noah and Elijah both rose over the same years in 5 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; New South Wales, Australia · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Noah · Elijah · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Moved together in several countries

  • Noah vs Theo

    Noah and Theo both rose over the same years in 5 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys; Norway · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Noah · Theo · 33 shared years, 1990–2025 · Moved together in several countries

  • Noah vs Max

    Noah and Max both rose over the same years in 4 registrars — New South Wales, Australia · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys; Norway · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Noah · Max · 33 shared years, 1990–2025 · Moved together in several countries

  • Noah vs Alfie

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Noah #1 in 2018, Alfie #10 in 2016.

    Noah · Alfie · 23 shared years, 2000–2024 · Peaked in the same years

    See the 2018 Northern Ireland ranking

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, Noah
FieldJacobNoah
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'.Commonly interpreted as 'rest' or 'comfort'.
OriginBiblical Hebrew, via Greek and LatinHebrew
Pronunciation/ˈdʒeɪkəb//ˈnoʊə/
Syllables21
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNoa, Noé
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 observationEngland and Wales · Boys #41 (2025)New South Wales, Australia · Boys #1 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • Jacob is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek and Latin origin, while Noah is recorded with a Hebrew origin.
  • Jacob has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Noah.
  • Jacob's recorded meaning differs from Noah's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Jacob a "medium" Data Confidence level and Noah a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

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

Noah

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1990

    First recorded at #640 among boys in Norway in 1990 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in England and Wales, in 2021 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1892 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls