Jacob vs Patrick
Jacob and Patrickcompared 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 Patrick #26 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Jacob was ranked #62 and Patrick #25 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Jacob was ranked #27 and Patrick #125 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Jacob was ranked #30 and Patrick #120 among boys in England and Wales.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2020, Jacob was ranked #36 and Patrick #93 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Jacob was ranked #42 and Patrick #83 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Jacob was ranked #59 and Patrick #327 among boys in Norway.
Jacob and Patrick over time
Jacob and Patrick appear together in 6 published lists, across 250 years of shared records. Jacob held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Patrick in 1.
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.
Patrick 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 1990, Jacob moved ahead of Patrick in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #38 and #32 the year before became #31 and #40.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Jacob and Patrick changed places 5 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1977 and 2020, ending at #36 and #93.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 44 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Jacob and Patrick averaged 27.7 places apart, ending at #42 and #83.
- Longest-running competitions
Jacob and Patrick were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 44 years, from 1982 to 2025, ending at #42 and #83.
List by list
Norway · Boys70 shared years, 1948–2025
Jacob held the stronger position in 39 of those years, Patrick in 31.
Highest recorded here: Jacob #34 in 2017, Patrick #67 in 1989.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jacob #59, Patrick #327.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys44 shared years, 1982–2025
Jacob held the stronger position in 36 of those years, Patrick in 8.
Highest recorded here: Jacob #10 in 1999, Patrick #30 in 1994.
The order changed in 1990: Jacob moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #38 and #32; by 1990 that had become #31 and #40.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jacob #42, Patrick #83.
Republic of Ireland · Boys40 shared years, 1980–2025
Jacob held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Patrick in 40.
Highest recorded here: Jacob #37 in 2016, Patrick #4 in 1981.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jacob #62, Patrick #25.
New Zealand · Boys39 shared years, 1977–2020
Jacob held the stronger position in 33 of those years, Patrick in 6.
Highest recorded here: Jacob #6 in 2003, Patrick #47 in 1991.
The order changed in 1987: Jacob moved ahead. In 1986 they stood at #56 and #51; by 1987 that had become #46 and #51.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Jacob #36, Patrick #93.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Jacob held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Patrick in 0.
Highest recorded here: Jacob #4 in 2013, Patrick #66 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jacob #30, Patrick #120.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Jacob held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Patrick in 13.
Highest recorded here: Jacob #5 in 2017, Patrick #18 in 2003.
The order changed in 2010: Jacob moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #51 and #28; by 2010 that had become #24 and #32.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jacob #13, Patrick #26.
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 | Patrick |
|---|---|---|
| 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'. | From Latin Patricius, meaning 'nobleman, patrician'. Adopted by Saint Patrick (originally named Sucat), a Romanized Briton who Christianized Ireland and became its patron saint. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek and Latin | Latin |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdʒeɪkəb/ | /ˈpæt.ɹɪk/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Pádraig, Pádraic |
| 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) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #25 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Jacob is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek and Latin origin, while Patrick is recorded with a Latin origin.
- Jacob and Patrick both have 2 syllables.
- Jacob's recorded meaning differs from Patrick'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 Patrick 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
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
Patrick
Popularity journey
First recorded1948
First recorded at #315 among boys in Norway in 1948 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #83 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys