James vs Simon
James and Simoncompared 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 Simon #311 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1997, James was ranked #3 and Simon #94 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1997, James was ranked #4 and Simon #83 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, James was ranked #4 and Simon #244 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, James was ranked #14 and Simon #535 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, James was ranked #40 and Simon #524 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, James was ranked #355 and Simon #159 among boys in Norway.
James and Simon over time
James and Simon appear together in 6 published lists, across 278 years of shared records. James held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Simon in 1.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Simon 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
James and Simon changed places 14 times in Norway · Boys between 1945 and 2025, ending at #355 and #159.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 43 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, James and Simon averaged 35.7 places apart, ending at #3 and #94.
- Longest-running competitions
James and Simon were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 43 years, from 1955 to 1997, ending at #3 and #94.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — James #2 in 1997, Simon #87 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Boys77 shared years, 1945–2025
James held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Simon in 66.
Highest recorded here: James #218 in 1978, Simon #35 in 1992.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: James #355, Simon #159.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
James held the stronger position in 62 of those years, Simon in 0.
Highest recorded here: James #1 in 1994, Simon #46 in 1987.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: James #4, Simon #244.
New Zealand · Boys44 shared years, 1954–1997
James held the stronger position in 43 of those years, Simon in 1.
Highest recorded here: James #2 in 1993, Simon #12 in 1976.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1997: James #4, Simon #83.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys43 shared years, 1955–1997
James held the stronger position in 43 of those years, Simon in 0.
Highest recorded here: James #3 in 1996, Simon #24 in 1970.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1997: James #3, Simon #94.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
James held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Simon in 0.
Highest recorded here: James #2 in 1997, Simon #87 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: James #40, Simon #524.
Northern Ireland · Boys23 shared years, 1997–2022
James held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Simon in 0.
Highest recorded here: James #1 in 2015, Simon #95 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: James #1, Simon #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 | Simon |
|---|---|---|
| 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 #159 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 94/100 |
| 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); Simon does not have one recorded yet.
- James and Simon both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for James; Simon 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 Simon 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
Simon
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #266 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1997
Highest recorded position: #12 among boys in New Zealand, in 1976 (recorded 1954–1997).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #159 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys