Jason vs Timothy
Jason and Timothycompared 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 · Boys
In 2005, Jason was ranked #91 and Timothy #78 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2004, Jason was ranked #85 and Timothy #91 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Jason was ranked #135 and Timothy #329 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Jason was ranked #197 and Timothy #382 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Jason was ranked #199 and Timothy #535 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Jason was ranked #305 and Timothy #339 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2018, Jason was ranked #452 and Timothy #490 among boys in Norway.
Jason and Timothy over time
Jason and Timothy appear together in 6 published lists, across 223 years of shared records. Jason held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Timothy in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Jason reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Timothy 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2004, Jason moved ahead of Timothy in New Zealand · Boys — #92 and #83 the year before became #85 and #91.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Jason and Timothy changed places 6 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1964 and 2005, ending at #91 and #78.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 42 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Jason and Timothy averaged 12.4 places apart, ending at #91 and #78.
- Longest-running competitions
Jason and Timothy were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 42 years, from 1964 to 2005, ending at #91 and #78.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Jason #69 in 1996, Timothy #82 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys61 shared years, 1965–2025
Jason held the stronger position in 55 of those years, Timothy in 6.
Highest recorded here: Jason #18 in 1974, Timothy #29 in 1965.
The order changed in 1971: Jason moved ahead. In 1970 they stood at #53 and #37; by 1971 that had become #37 and #38.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jason #135, Timothy #329.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys42 shared years, 1964–2005
Jason held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Timothy in 28.
Highest recorded here: Jason #1 in 1971, Timothy #11 in 1984.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2005: Jason #91, Timothy #78.
New Zealand · Boys39 shared years, 1966–2004
Jason held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Timothy in 14.
Highest recorded here: Jason #1 in 1970, Timothy #10 in 1981.
The order changed in 2004: Jason moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #92 and #83; by 2004 that had become #85 and #91.
Most recent shared year, 2004: Jason #85, Timothy #91.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Jason held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Timothy in 0.
Highest recorded here: Jason #69 in 1996, Timothy #82 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jason #197, Timothy #382.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Jason held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Timothy in 1.
Highest recorded here: Jason #36 in 1998, Timothy #75 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jason #305, Timothy #339.
Norway · Boys24 shared years, 1969–2018
Jason held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Timothy in 6.
Highest recorded here: Jason #399 in 1977, Timothy #427 in 1990.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Jason #452, Timothy #490.
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 | Jason | Timothy |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | From Ancient Greek Iason, meaning 'healer'. In Greek mythology, Jason led the Argonauts in the quest for the Golden Fleece; the name also appears in the New Testament as a Hellenized form possibly of a Hebrew name. | From Greek Timotheos, literally 'honouring God', combining 'timao' (to honour) with 'theos' (god). Saint Timothy accompanied the Apostle Paul on missionary journeys. |
| Origin | Greek | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ˈd͡ʒeɪ.sən/ | /ˈtɪm.ə.θi/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| 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, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #135 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #329 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Both Jason and Timothy share a recorded Greek origin.
- Jason has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Timothy.
- Jason's recorded meaning differs from Timothy's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Jason
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #100 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2005
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1971 (recorded 1964–2005).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #135 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Timothy
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #61 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1954–2005
Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in New Zealand, in 1981 (recorded 1954–2005).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #329 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys