James vs Ronald
James and Ronaldcompared 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.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2012, James was ranked #2 and Ronald #718 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, James was ranked #14 and Ronald #619 among boys in Scotland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1969, James was ranked #17 and Ronald #98 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1972, James was ranked #21 and Ronald #88 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, James was ranked #40 and Ronald #796 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2000, James was ranked #395 and Ronald #569 among boys in Norway.
James and Ronald over time
James and Ronald appear together in 5 published lists, across 143 years of shared records. James held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Ronald 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.
Ronald reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 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.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 21 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, James and Ronald averaged 30.0 places apart, ending at #21 and #88.
- Longest-running competitions
James and Ronald were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 44 years, from 1945 to 2000, ending at #395 and #569.
List by list
Norway · Boys44 shared years, 1945–2000
James held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Ronald in 29.
Highest recorded here: James #220 in 1987, Ronald #134 in 1947.
The order changed in 1976: James moved ahead. In 1975 they stood at #398 and #308; by 1976 that had become #271 and #284.
Most recent shared year, 2000: James #395, Ronald #569.
Republic of Ireland · Boys34 shared years, 1964–2012
James held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Ronald in 0.
Highest recorded here: James #2 in 2011, Ronald #89 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2012: James #2, Ronald #718.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
James held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Ronald in 0.
Highest recorded here: James #2 in 1997, Ronald #564 in 2018.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: James #40, Ronald #796.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys21 shared years, 1952–1972
James held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Ronald in 0.
Highest recorded here: James #16 in 1965, Ronald #24 in 1952.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1972: James #21, Ronald #88.
New Zealand · Boys15 shared years, 1954–1969
James held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Ronald in 0.
Highest recorded here: James #14 in 1965, Ronald #36 in 1954.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1969: James #17, Ronald #98.
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 | Ronald |
|---|---|---|
| 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/ | |
| 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-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #4 (2025) | Scotland · Boys #619 (2024) |
| 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); Ronald does not have one recorded yet.
- James and Ronald both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for James; Ronald doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
- The available evidence gives James a "high" Data Confidence level and Ronald 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
Ronald
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #202 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–1972
Highest recorded position: #24 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1972).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #796 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys