Joe vs Jonathan
Joe and Jonathancompared 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, Joe was ranked #152 and Jonathan #223 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Joe was ranked #202 and Jonathan #305 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Joe was ranked #785 and Jonathan #302 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Joe was ranked #404 and Jonathan #352 among boys in Scotland.
Joe and Jonathan over time
Joe and Jonathan appear together in 3 published lists, across 93 years of shared records. Jonathan held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Joe 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.
Jonathan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Joe 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 2023, Joe moved ahead of Jonathan in Northern Ireland · Boys — #264 and #207 the year before became #139 and #200.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Joe and Jonathan changed places 7 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2024, ending at #202 and #305.
- Longest-running competitions
Joe and Jonathan were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 36 years, from 1985 to 2025, ending at #152 and #223.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Joe #48 in 1997, Jonathan #39 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys36 shared years, 1985–2025
Joe held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Jonathan in 24.
Highest recorded here: Joe #117 in 2016, Jonathan #33 in 1985.
The order changed in 2016: Joe moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #149 and #140; by 2016 that had become #117 and #168.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Joe #152, Jonathan #223.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Joe held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Jonathan in 15.
Highest recorded here: Joe #48 in 1997, Jonathan #39 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Joe #785, Jonathan #302.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Joe held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Jonathan in 16.
Highest recorded here: Joe #88 in 2017, Jonathan #20 in 1998.
The order changed in 2023: Joe moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #264 and #207; by 2023 that had become #139 and #200.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Joe #202, Jonathan #305.
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 | Joe | Jonathan |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #152 (2025) | Norway · Boys #93 (2025) |
| 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
- Joe has 1 syllable, compared with 3 for Jonathan.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
How each name got here
Joe
Popularity journey
First recorded1985
First recorded at #304 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1985 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #48 among boys in England and Wales, in 1997 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #152 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Jonathan
Popularity journey
First recorded1949
First recorded at #371 among boys in Norway in 1949 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1957–2013
Highest recorded position: #15 among boys in New Zealand, in 1982 (recorded 1957–2013).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #93 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys