Jan vs Svein
Jan and Sveincompared 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 2023, Jan was ranked #139 and Svein #267 among boys in Norway.
Jan and Svein over time
Jan and Svein appear together in 1 published list, across 77 years of shared records. Jan held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Svein in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Jan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Svein 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.
- Longest-running competitions
Jan and Svein were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 77 years, from 1945 to 2023, ending at #139 and #267.
List by list
Norway · Boys77 shared years, 1945–2023
Jan held the stronger position in 77 of those years, Svein in 0.
Highest recorded here: Jan #1 in 1946, Svein #4 in 1950.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Jan #139, Svein #267.
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
Other comparisons involving Svein
Pairs where Svein shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Svein vs Tore
Svein and Tore changed places 24 times in Norway · Boys between 1945 and 2023, ending at #267 and #398.
Svein · Tore · 77 shared years, 1945–2023 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
- Kjell vs Svein
Kjell and Svein changed places 19 times in Norway · Boys between 1945 and 2023, ending at #432 and #267.
Kjell · Svein · 77 shared years, 1945–2023 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
- Svein vs Pål
Svein and Pål changed places 18 times in Norway · Boys between 1945 and 2023, ending at #267 and #374.
Svein · Pål · 77 shared years, 1945–2023 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
- Svein vs Odd
Svein and Odd changed places 16 times in Norway · Boys between 1945 and 2023, ending at #267 and #524.
Svein · Odd · 76 shared years, 1945–2023 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
Side by side
| Field | Jan | Svein |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | NO |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Boys #149 (2025) | Norway · Boys #267 (2023) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 40/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Jan has a recorded origin (Hebrew, via Dutch/Scandinavian/Central European transmission); Svein does not have one recorded yet.
- Jan and Svein both have 1 syllable.
- A meaning is recorded for Jan; Svein doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in 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 #639 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys
Svein
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #5 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1945–2023
Highest recorded position: #4 among boys in Norway, in 1950 (recorded 1945–2023).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2023
Most recently recorded at #267 among boys in Norway, in 2023.
Norway · Boys