Namewise

James vs Samuel

James and Samuelcompared 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 Samuel #64 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, James was ranked #4 and Samuel #76 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, James was ranked #14 and Samuel #69 among boys in Scotland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2025, James was ranked #15 and Samuel #38 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2023, James was ranked #15 and Samuel #50 among boys in New Zealand.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, James was ranked #42 and Samuel #66 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, James was ranked #355 and Samuel #75 among boys in Norway.

James and Samuel over time

James and Samuel appear together in 6 published lists, across 299 years of shared records. James held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Samuel 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.

James reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, Samuel 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 1988, Samuel moved ahead of James in Norway · Boys — #220 and #259 the year before became #268 and #188.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    James and Samuel changed places 4 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1967 and 2023, ending at #15 and #50.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, James and Samuel averaged 10.0 places apart, ending at #42 and #66.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Boys, James rose about as far as Samuel fell — from #3 and #39 in 1997 to #1 and #64 in 2024.

  • Longest-running competitions

    James and Samuel were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #42 and #66.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys72 shared years, 1946–2025

    James held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Samuel in 46.

    Highest recorded here: James #218 in 1978, Samuel #44 in 2019.

    The order changed in 1988: Samuel moved ahead. In 1987 they stood at #220 and #259; by 1988 that had become #268 and #188.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: James #355, Samuel #75.

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

    James held the stronger position in 62 of those years, Samuel in 0.

    Highest recorded here: James #1 in 1994, Samuel #33 in 2013.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: James #4, Samuel #76.

  • New Zealand · Boys54 shared years, 1967–2023

    James held the stronger position in 44 of those years, Samuel in 10.

    Highest recorded here: James #2 in 1993, Samuel #3 in 1998.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2023: James #15, Samuel #50.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys53 shared years, 1972–2025

    James held the stronger position in 53 of those years, Samuel in 0.

    Highest recorded here: James #3 in 1996, Samuel #10 in 2003.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: James #15, Samuel #38.

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

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

    Highest recorded here: James #2 in 1997, Samuel #6 in 2004.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: James #42, Samuel #66.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

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

    Highest recorded here: James #1 in 2015, Samuel #25 in 2005.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: James #1, Samuel #64.

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 Samuel

Pairs where Samuel 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 — closest over the longest run.

All closest over the longest run→

Other pairs from England and Wales lists

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

England and Wales 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, Samuel
FieldJamesSamuel
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningSupplanter, held by the heel (traditional interpretation via Jacob).Traditionally rendered as 'name of God', though also popularly interpreted as 'God has heard' — sources differ on which root is emphasised.
OriginHebrew, via Late Latin IacomusBiblical Hebrew, via Greek Samouel
Pronunciation/ˈdʒeɪmz//ˈsæmjuːəl/
Syllables22
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)New South Wales, Australia · Boys #38 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10088/100
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 Samuel is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Samouel origin.
  • James and Samuel both have 2 syllables.
  • James's recorded meaning differs from Samuel'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 Samuel 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

Samuel

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1946

    First recorded at #339 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1967–2023

    Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New Zealand, in 1998 (recorded 1967–2023).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #66 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys