Namewise

John vs Jon

John and Joncompared 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 2019, John was ranked #30 and Jon #764 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2011, John was ranked #38 and Jon #375 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, John was ranked #161 and Jon #124 among boys in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, John was ranked #174 and Jon #1798 among boys in England and Wales.

John and Jon over time

John and Jon appear together in 3 published lists, across 130 years of shared records. John held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Jon 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 1 of those lists, and Jon 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 2022, Jon moved ahead of John in Norway · Boys — #147 and #151 the year before became #151 and #132.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    John and Jon changed places 15 times in Norway · Boys between 1945 and 2025, ending at #161 and #124.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 81 shared years in Norway · Boys, John and Jon averaged 11.1 places apart, ending at #161 and #124.

  • Longest-running competitions

    John and Jon were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #174 and #1798.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — John #46 in 1996, Jon #239 in 1996.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys81 shared years, 1945–2025

    John held the stronger position in 46 of those years, Jon in 35.

    Highest recorded here: John #12 in 1955, Jon #19 in 1982.

    The order changed in 2022: Jon moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #147 and #151; by 2022 that had become #151 and #132.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: John #161, Jon #124.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    John held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Jon in 0.

    Highest recorded here: John #46 in 1996, Jon #239 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: John #174, Jon #1798.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys19 shared years, 1975–2019

    John held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Jon in 0.

    Highest recorded here: John #1 in 1975, Jon #236 in 1975.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2019: John #30, Jon #764.

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 John

Pairs where John shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Jon

Pairs where Jon shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — repeatedly exchanged positions.

All repeatedly exchanged positions→

Other pairs from Norway lists

Pairs measured inside Norway's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Norway overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of John, Jon
FieldJohnJon
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningFrom 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.Not yet recorded
OriginBiblical HebrewNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈjɔn/Not yet recorded
Syllables11
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZGB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #29 (2025)Norway · Boys #124 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • John has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Jon does not have one recorded yet.
  • John and Jon both have 1 syllable.
  • A meaning is recorded for John; Jon doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO.

How each name got here

John

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1952–2019

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–2019).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #174 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Jon

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #34 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1945–2025

    Highest recorded position: #19 among boys in Norway, in 1982 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1798 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys