Namewise

James vs Timothy

James and Timothycompared 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 Timothy #339 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, James was ranked #4 and Timothy #329 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2005, James was ranked #5 and Timothy #100 among boys in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2005, James was ranked #6 and Timothy #78 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, James was ranked #14 and Timothy #535 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, James was ranked #42 and Timothy #418 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2019, James was ranked #273 and Timothy #518 among boys in Norway.

James and Timothy over time

James and Timothy appear together in 6 published lists, across 267 years of shared records. James held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Timothy in 0.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

Timothy 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.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 54 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, James and Timothy averaged 20.6 places apart, ending at #6 and #78.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 52 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, James rose about as far as Timothy fell — from #20 and #61 in 1954 to #5 and #100 in 2005.

  • Longest-running competitions

    James and Timothy were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #42 and #418.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — James #2 in 1997, Timothy #82 in 1996.

List by list

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

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

    Highest recorded here: James #1 in 1994, Timothy #26 in 1964.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: James #4, Timothy #329.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys54 shared years, 1952–2005

    James held the stronger position in 54 of those years, Timothy in 0.

    Highest recorded here: James #3 in 1996, Timothy #11 in 1984.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2005: James #6, Timothy #78.

  • New Zealand · Boys52 shared years, 1954–2005

    James held the stronger position in 52 of those years, Timothy in 0.

    Highest recorded here: James #2 in 1993, Timothy #10 in 1981.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2005: James #5, Timothy #100.

  • Norway · Boys41 shared years, 1957–2019

    James held the stronger position in 40 of those years, Timothy in 1.

    Highest recorded here: James #218 in 1978, Timothy #413 in 1988.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2019: James #273, Timothy #518.

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

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

    Highest recorded here: James #2 in 1997, Timothy #82 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: James #42, Timothy #418.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

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

    Highest recorded here: James #1 in 2015, Timothy #75 in 2000.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: James #1, Timothy #339.

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 Timothy

Pairs where Timothy 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 — mirrored each other.

All mirrored each other→

Other pairs from New Zealand lists

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

New Zealand overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2000s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2000 and 2009.

The 2000s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of James, Timothy
FieldJamesTimothy
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningSupplanter, held by the heel (traditional interpretation via Jacob).From Greek Timotheos, literally 'honouring God', combining 'timao' (to honour) with 'theos' (god). Saint Timothy accompanied the Apostle Paul on missionary journeys.
OriginHebrew, via Late Latin IacomusGreek
Pronunciation/ˈdʒeɪmz//ˈtɪm.ə.θi/
Syllables23
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)Republic of Ireland · Boys #329 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10082/100
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 Timothy is recorded with a Greek origin.
  • James has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Timothy.
  • James's recorded meaning differs from Timothy'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 Timothy 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

Timothy

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #61 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1954–2005

    Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in New Zealand, in 1981 (recorded 1954–2005).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #418 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys