James vs Mark
James and Markcompared 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 Mark #177 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2000, James was ranked #4 and Mark #89 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, James was ranked #4 and Mark #99 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2001, James was ranked #5 and Mark #90 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, James was ranked #14 and Mark #169 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, James was ranked #40 and Mark #277 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, James was ranked #355 and Mark #286 among boys in Norway.
James and Mark over time
James and Mark appear together in 6 published lists, across 288 years of shared records. James held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Mark in 2.
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.
Mark 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 1978, James moved ahead of Mark in New Zealand · Boys — #8 and #5 the year before became #7 and #8.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
James and Mark changed places 31 times in Norway · Boys between 1952 and 2025, ending at #355 and #286.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 50 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, James and Mark averaged 22.1 places apart, ending at #5 and #90.
- Longest-running competitions
James and Mark were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 50 years, from 1952 to 2001, ending at #5 and #90.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — James #2 in 1997, Mark #55 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Boys73 shared years, 1952–2025
James held the stronger position in 45 of those years, Mark in 28.
Highest recorded here: James #218 in 1978, Mark #211 in 1970.
The order changed in 2025: Mark moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #264 and #265; by 2025 that had become #355 and #286.
Most recent shared year, 2025: James #355, Mark #286.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
James held the stronger position in 62 of those years, Mark in 0.
Highest recorded here: James #1 in 1994, Mark #7 in 1974.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: James #4, Mark #99.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys50 shared years, 1952–2001
James held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Mark in 29.
Highest recorded here: James #3 in 1996, Mark #2 in 1960.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2001: James #5, Mark #90.
New Zealand · Boys46 shared years, 1954–2000
James held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Mark in 24.
Highest recorded here: James #2 in 1993, Mark #2 in 1974.
The order changed in 1978: James moved ahead. In 1977 they stood at #8 and #5; by 1978 that had become #7 and #8.
Most recent shared year, 2000: James #4, Mark #89.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
James held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Mark in 0.
Highest recorded here: James #2 in 1997, Mark #55 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: James #40, Mark #277.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
James held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Mark in 0.
Highest recorded here: James #1 in 2015, Mark #12 in 1999.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: James #1, Mark #177.
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 | James | Mark |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Supplanter, held by the heel (traditional interpretation via Jacob). | A form of the Latin name Marcus used in several languages. Saint Mark authored the second Gospel and is patron saint of Venice. |
| Origin | Hebrew, via Late Latin Iacomus | Latin |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdʒeɪmz/ | /ˈmɑɹk/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Jim, Jamie, Iacomus | 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 | Republic of Ireland · Boys #4 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #99 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- James is recorded with a Hebrew, via Late Latin Iacomus origin, while Mark is recorded with a Latin origin.
- James has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Mark.
- James's recorded meaning differs from Mark'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 Mark 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
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
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2015 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #15 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Mark
Popularity journey
First recorded1950
First recorded at #362 among boys in Norway in 1950 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2001
Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1960 (recorded 1952–2001).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #286 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys