Jan vs Olivier
Jan and Oliviercompared 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 2025, Jan was ranked #149 and Olivier #513 among boys in Norway.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2019, Jan was ranked #312 and Olivier #365 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Jan was ranked #372 and Olivier #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Jan was ranked #514 and Olivier #898 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Jan was ranked #535 and Olivier #727 among boys in Scotland.
Jan and Olivier over time
Jan and Olivier appear together in 4 published lists, across 87 years of shared records. Jan held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Olivier 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.
Olivier reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Jan 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
Jan and Olivier changed places 6 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2024, ending at #514 and #898.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Jan #222 in 2010, Olivier #230 in 2010.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Jan held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Olivier in 4.
Highest recorded here: Jan #226 in 2017, Olivier #266 in 2010.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jan #514, Olivier #898.
Norway · Boys27 shared years, 1969–2025
Jan held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Olivier in 0.
Highest recorded here: Jan #1 in 1969, Olivier #270 in 2017.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jan #149, Olivier #513.
Republic of Ireland · Boys21 shared years, 2005–2025
Jan held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Olivier in 0.
Highest recorded here: Jan #114 in 2012, Olivier #191 in 2008.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jan #372, Olivier #829.
Northern Ireland · Boys10 shared years, 2008–2019
Jan held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Olivier in 1.
Highest recorded here: Jan #222 in 2010, Olivier #230 in 2010.
The order changed in 2014: Jan moved ahead. In 2013 they stood at #303 and #303; by 2014 that had become #243 and #398.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Jan #312, Olivier #365.
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 Jan
Pairs where Jan shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Jan vs Aksel
Jan and Aksel were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #149 and #25.
Jan · Aksel · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Longest-running competitions
- Jan vs Anders
Jan and Anders were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #149 and #293.
Jan · Anders · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Longest-running competitions
- Jan vs Christian
Jan and Christian were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #149 and #131.
Jan · Christian · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Longest-running competitions
- David vs Jan
David and Jan were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #88 and #149.
David · Jan · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Longest-running competitions
Side by side
| Field | Jan | Olivier |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | A form of Johannes used across many European languages, from Hebrew Yochanan via Greek Ioannes — 'Yahweh is gracious'. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Hebrew, via Dutch/Scandinavian/Central European transmission | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈjɑːn/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 1 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Boys #149 (2025) | Norway · Boys #513 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Jan has a recorded origin (Hebrew, via Dutch/Scandinavian/Central European transmission); Olivier does not have one recorded yet.
- Jan has 1 syllable, compared with 3 for Olivier.
- A meaning is recorded for Jan; Olivier doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.
How each name got here
Jan
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #2 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Norway, in 1946 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #149 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys
Olivier
Popularity journey
First recorded1969
First recorded at #533 among boys in Norway in 1969 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded2005–2025
Highest recorded position: #191 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2008 (recorded 2005–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #513 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys