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.
Side by side
| Field | Jan | Susan |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | female |
| 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/ | |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Boys #149 (2025) | England and Wales · Girls #2253 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| 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); 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
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
Susan
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1952–1985
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1954 (recorded 1952–1985).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2253 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls