James vs Philip
James and Philipcompared 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 2022, James was ranked #1 and Philip #311 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1992, James was ranked #3 and Philip #95 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, James was ranked #4 and Philip #309 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1988, James was ranked #6 and Philip #98 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, James was ranked #14 and Philip #619 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, James was ranked #40 and Philip #461 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, James was ranked #355 and Philip #91 among boys in Norway.
James and Philip over time
James and Philip appear together in 6 published lists, across 261 years of shared records. James held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Philip in 1.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Philip reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, James in 1. 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 1987, Philip moved ahead of James in Norway · Boys — #240 and #300 the year before became #220 and #171.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
James and Philip changed places 5 times in Norway · Boys between 1948 and 2025, ending at #355 and #91.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 36 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, James and Philip averaged 40.4 places apart, ending at #6 and #98.
- Longest-running competitions
James and Philip were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 36 years, from 1952 to 1988, ending at #6 and #98.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — James #2 in 1997, Philip #103 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Boys70 shared years, 1948–2025
James held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Philip in 45.
Highest recorded here: James #218 in 1978, Philip #68 in 2013.
The order changed in 1987: Philip moved ahead. In 1986 they stood at #240 and #300; by 1987 that had become #220 and #171.
Most recent shared year, 2025: James #355, Philip #91.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
James held the stronger position in 62 of those years, Philip in 0.
Highest recorded here: James #1 in 1994, Philip #30 in 1978.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: James #4, Philip #309.
New Zealand · Boys38 shared years, 1954–1992
James held the stronger position in 38 of those years, Philip in 0.
Highest recorded here: James #3 in 1982, Philip #20 in 1963.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1992: James #3, Philip #95.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys36 shared years, 1952–1988
James held the stronger position in 36 of those years, Philip in 0.
Highest recorded here: James #6 in 1986, Philip #29 in 1958.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1988: James #6, Philip #98.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
James held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Philip in 0.
Highest recorded here: James #2 in 1997, Philip #103 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: James #40, Philip #461.
Northern Ireland · Boys26 shared years, 1997–2022
James held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Philip in 0.
Highest recorded here: James #1 in 2015, Philip #51 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: James #1, Philip #311.
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 | Philip |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Supplanter, held by the heel (traditional interpretation via Jacob). | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Hebrew, via Late Latin Iacomus | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdʒeɪmz/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| 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) | Norway · Boys #91 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- James has a recorded origin (Hebrew, via Late Latin Iacomus); Philip does not have one recorded yet.
- James and Philip both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for James; Philip doesn't have one written yet.
- 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 Philip 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
Philip
Popularity journey
First recorded1948
First recorded at #341 among boys in Norway in 1948 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1992
Highest recorded position: #20 among boys in New Zealand, in 1963 (recorded 1954–1992).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #91 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys