Namewise

Jan vs Susan

Jan and Susancompared 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.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1961, Jan was ranked #99 and Susan #3 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1968, Jan was ranked #98 and Susan #11 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 1997, Jan was ranked #576 and Susan #155 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2010, Jan was ranked #4688 and Susan #1257 among girls in England and Wales.

Jan and Susan over time

Jan and Susan appear together in 3 published lists, across 35 years of shared records. Susan held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Jan in 0.

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

Jan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Susan 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.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Jan #63 in 1952, Susan #1 in 1954.

List by list

  • New Zealand · Girls15 shared years, 1954–1968

    Jan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Susan in 15.

    Highest recorded here: Jan #47 in 1961, Susan #1 in 1955.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1968: Jan #98, Susan #11.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls10 shared years, 1952–1961

    Jan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Susan in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Jan #63 in 1952, Susan #1 in 1954.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1961: Jan #99, Susan #3.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls10 shared years, 1964–1997

    Jan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Susan in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Jan #327 in 1964, Susan #20 in 1976.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1997: Jan #576, Susan #155.

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.

Other comparisons involving Susan

Pairs where Susan 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 — peaked in the same years.

All peaked in the same years→

Other pairs from New South Wales, Australia lists

Pairs measured inside New South Wales, Australia'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 South Wales, Australia overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 1960s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1960 and 1969.

The 1960s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Jan, Susan
FieldJanSusan
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalefemale
MeaningA form of Johannes used across many European languages, from Hebrew Yochanan via Greek Ioannes — 'Yahweh is gracious'.Not yet recorded
OriginHebrew, via Dutch/Scandinavian/Central European transmissionNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈjɑːn/
Syllables12
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Boys #149 (2025)England and Wales · Girls #2440 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Jan has a recorded origin (Hebrew, via Dutch/Scandinavian/Central European transmission); Susan does not have one recorded yet.
  • Jan has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Susan.
  • A meaning is recorded for Jan; Susan doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Jan

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1945–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Norway, in 1946 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #639 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Susan

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1946

    First recorded at #239 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1952–1985

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1954 (recorded 1952–1985).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #2440 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls