James vs Ørjan

James and Ørjancompared 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.

Norway · Boys
In 2024, James was ranked #264 and Ørjan #508 among boys in Norway.

James and Ørjan over time

James and Ørjan appear together in 1 published list, across 68 years of shared records. Ørjan held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, James in 0.

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.

Ørjan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and James in none. 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 Ørjan changed places 5 times in Norway · Boys between 1951 and 2024, ending at #264 and #508.
Longest-running competitions
James and Ørjan were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 68 years, from 1951 to 2024, ending at #264 and #508.
Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Norway · Boys within 2 years — James #218 in 1978, Ørjan #50 in 1977.

List by list

Norway · Boys68 shared years, 1951–2024
James held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Ørjan in 56.
Highest recorded here: James #218 in 1978, Ørjan #50 in 1977.
The order changed in 2012: James moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #433 and #310; by 2012 that had become #311 and #460.
Most recent shared year, 2024: James #264, Ørjan #508.

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.

James vs Jordan
In 1997 they stood at #3 and #6 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 3 places apart; by 2024 they were #1 and #404.
James · Jordan · 28 shared years, 1997–2024 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2024 Northern Ireland ranking
James vs Gerard
In 1964 they stood at #5 and #10 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 5 places apart; by 2025 they were #4 and #348.
James · Gerard · 62 shared years, 1964–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2025 Republic of Ireland ranking
James vs Timothy
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.
James · Timothy · 52 shared years, 1954–2005 · Mirrored each other
See the 2005 New Zealand ranking
James vs Daniel
James and Daniel changed places 12 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1954 and 2023, ending at #15 and #53.
James · Daniel · 69 shared years, 1954–2023 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
See the 2023 New Zealand ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of James, Ørjan
Field	James	Ørjan
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	1
Common variants / nicknames	Jim, Jamie, Iacomus	Not yet recorded
Recorded regional usage	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ	NO
Most recent popularity observation	Republic of Ireland · Boys #4 (2025)	Norway · Boys #508 (2024)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	90/100	Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	94/100	94/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	100/100	40/100
Data Confidence	high	medium

What the data shows

James has a recorded origin (Hebrew, via Late Latin Iacomus); Ørjan does not have one recorded yet.
James has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Ørjan.
A meaning is recorded for James; Ørjan doesn't have one written yet.
Both names have recorded usage in NO.
The available evidence gives James a "high" Data Confidence level and Ørjan 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

Ørjan

Popularity journey

First recorded1950
First recorded at #286 among boys in Norway in 1950 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1950–2024
Highest recorded position: #50 among boys in Norway, in 1977 (recorded 1950–2024).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #508 among boys in Norway, in 2024.
Norway · Boys