Jay vs Jonathon
Jay and Jonathoncompared 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.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2005, Jay was ranked #49 and Jonathon #265 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1994, Jay was ranked #98 and Jonathon #95 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2019, Jay was ranked #295 and Jonathon #646 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2020, Jay was ranked #381 and Jonathon #3848 among boys in England and Wales.
Jay and Jonathon over time
Jay and Jonathon appear together in 4 published lists, across 64 years of shared records. Jay held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Jonathon in 0.
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.
Jonathon reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Jay 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 2000, Jay moved ahead of Jonathon in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #214 and #110 the year before became #168 and #196.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — Jay #69 in 1982, Jonathon #74 in 1983.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys25 shared years, 1996–2020
Jay held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Jonathon in 0.
Highest recorded here: Jay #59 in 2001, Jonathon #175 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Jay #381, Jonathon #3848.
Republic of Ireland · Boys19 shared years, 1988–2019
Jay held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Jonathon in 9.
Highest recorded here: Jay #134 in 2008, Jonathon #110 in 1999.
The order changed in 2000: Jay moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #214 and #110; by 2000 that had become #168 and #196.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Jay #295, Jonathon #646.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys11 shared years, 1981–1994
Jay held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Jonathon in 4.
Highest recorded here: Jay #69 in 1982, Jonathon #74 in 1983.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1994: Jay #98, Jonathon #95.
Northern Ireland · Boys9 shared years, 1997–2005
Jay held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Jonathon in 1.
Highest recorded here: Jay #48 in 2003, Jonathon #109 in 1997.
The order changed in 1998: Jay moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #143 and #109; by 1998 that had become #117 and #144.
Most recent shared year, 2005: Jay #49, Jonathon #265.
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 | Jay | Jonathon |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | 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 | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #309 (2025) | England and Wales · Boys #3848 (2020) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 76/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Jay has 1 syllable, compared with 3 for Jonathon.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
Jay
Popularity journey
First recorded1975
First recorded at #100 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1975 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #33 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2009 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #309 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Jonathon
Popularity journey
First recorded1974
First recorded at #321 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1974 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1981–1994
Highest recorded position: #74 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1983 (recorded 1981–1994).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2020
Most recently recorded at #3848 among boys in England and Wales, in 2020.
England and Wales · Boys