Namewise

James vs John

James and Johncompared 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, James was ranked #1 and John #67 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, James was ranked #4 and John #29 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2019, James was ranked #9 and John #97 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2021, James was ranked #14 and John #86 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, James was ranked #14 and John #78 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, James was ranked #42 and John #174 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, James was ranked #355 and John #161 among boys in Norway.

James and John over time

James and John appear together in 6 published lists, across 334 years of shared records. James held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, John 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.

John reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 6 of those lists, and James 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 1977, James moved ahead of John in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #21 and #18 the year before became #16 and #17.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    James and John changed places 5 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2025, ending at #4 and #29.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 66 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, James and John averaged 31.2 places apart, ending at #9 and #97.

  • Longest-running competitions

    James and John were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #42 and #174.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — James #2 in 1997, John #46 in 1996.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys80 shared years, 1945–2025

    James held the stronger position in 0 of those years, John in 80.

    Highest recorded here: James #218 in 1978, John #12 in 1955.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: James #355, John #161.

  • New Zealand · Boys68 shared years, 1954–2021

    James held the stronger position in 48 of those years, John in 20.

    Highest recorded here: James #2 in 1993, John #1 in 1954.

    The order changed in 1974: James moved ahead. In 1973 they stood at #15 and #14; by 1974 that had become #13 and #15.

    Most recent shared year, 2021: James #14, John #86.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys66 shared years, 1952–2019

    James held the stronger position in 41 of those years, John in 25.

    Highest recorded here: James #3 in 1996, John #1 in 1952.

    The order changed in 1977: James moved ahead. In 1976 they stood at #21 and #18; by 1977 that had become #16 and #17.

    Most recent shared year, 2019: James #9, John #97.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025

    James held the stronger position in 32 of those years, John in 30.

    Highest recorded here: James #1 in 1994, John #1 in 1964.

    The order changed in 1997: James moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #7 and #6; by 1997 that had become #3 and #5.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: James #4, John #29.

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

    James held the stronger position in 30 of those years, John in 0.

    Highest recorded here: James #2 in 1997, John #46 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: James #42, John #174.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    James held the stronger position in 28 of those years, John in 0.

    Highest recorded here: James #1 in 2015, John #17 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: James #1, John #67.

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 James

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

Other comparisons involving John

Pairs where John 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 Republic of Ireland lists

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

Republic of Ireland 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 James, John
FieldJamesJohn
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningSupplanter, held by the heel (traditional interpretation via Jacob).From Hebrew Yochanan, 'Yahweh is gracious', via Greek Ioannes and Latin Iohannes. One of the most widespread names in Christian Europe, associated with both John the Baptist and the apostle John.
OriginHebrew, via Late Latin IacomusBiblical Hebrew
Pronunciation/ˈdʒeɪmz//ˈjɔn/
Syllables21
Common variants / nicknamesJim, Jamie, IacomusNot 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 observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #4 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #29 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

What the data shows

  • James is recorded with a Hebrew, via Late Latin Iacomus origin, while John is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
  • James has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for John.
  • James's recorded meaning differs from John'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 James a "high" Data Confidence level and John a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

James

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #344 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 recorded1997–2024

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2015 (recorded 1997–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #42 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

John

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #20 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 recorded1952–2019

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–2019).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #174 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys