Jesse vs John
Jesse and Johncompared 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.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Jesse was ranked #141 and John #29 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Jesse was ranked #54 and John #164 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Jesse was ranked #102 and John #67 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Jesse was ranked #290 and John #78 among boys in Scotland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2017, Jesse was ranked #99 and John #80 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2014, Jesse was ranked #93 and John #95 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Jesse and John over time
Jesse and John appear together in 5 published lists, across 152 years of shared records. John held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Jesse in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
John reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Jesse 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2016, Jesse moved ahead of John in England and Wales · Boys — #110 and #108 the year before became #94 and #120.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Jesse and John changed places 7 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1985 and 2014, ending at #93 and #95.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Jesse and John averaged 15.4 places apart, ending at #93 and #95.
- Longest-running competitions
Jesse and John were both ranked in New Zealand · Boys for 32 years, from 1981 to 2017, ending at #99 and #80.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys42 shared years, 1970–2025
Jesse held the stronger position in 0 of those years, John in 42.
Highest recorded here: Jesse #133 in 2023, John #1 in 1970.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jesse #141, John #29.
New Zealand · Boys32 shared years, 1981–2017
Jesse held the stronger position in 14 of those years, John in 18.
Highest recorded here: Jesse #18 in 1990, John #15 in 1984.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2017: Jesse #99, John #80.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Jesse held the stronger position in 9 of those years, John in 20.
Highest recorded here: Jesse #54 in 2024, John #46 in 1996.
The order changed in 2016: Jesse moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #110 and #108; by 2016 that had become #94 and #120.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jesse #54, John #164.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys29 shared years, 1985–2014
Jesse held the stronger position in 9 of those years, John in 20.
Highest recorded here: Jesse #30 in 1996, John #22 in 1985.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2014: Jesse #93, John #95.
Northern Ireland · Boys20 shared years, 1997–2024
Jesse held the stronger position in 0 of those years, John in 20.
Highest recorded here: Jesse #102 in 2024, John #17 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jesse #102, John #67.
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 | Jesse | John |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | From Hebrew Yochanan, 'Yahweh is gracious', via Greek Ioannes and Latin Iohannes. One of the most widespread names in Christian Europe, associated with both John the Baptist and the apostle John. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈjɔn/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #141 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #29 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- John has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Jesse does not have one recorded yet.
- Jesse has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for John.
- A meaning is recorded for John; Jesse doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Jesse
Popularity journey
First recorded1970
First recorded at #278 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1970 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1981–2017
Highest recorded position: #18 among boys in New Zealand, in 1990 (recorded 1981–2017).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #141 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
John
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #20 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2019
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–2019).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #161 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys