John vs Joseph
John and Josephcompared 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, John was ranked #29 and Joseph #64 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, John was ranked #67 and Joseph #34 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2021, John was ranked #86 and Joseph #46 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2019, John was ranked #97 and Joseph #55 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, John was ranked #164 and Joseph #56 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, John was ranked #78 and Joseph #82 among boys in Scotland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, John was ranked #161 and Joseph #465 among boys in Norway.
John and Joseph over time
John and Joseph appear together in 6 published lists, across 322 years of shared records. John held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Joseph in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 3 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 Joseph 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 1996, Joseph moved ahead of John in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #37 and #42 the year before became #40 and #37.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
John and Joseph changed places 7 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2024, ending at #67 and #34.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 66 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, John and Joseph averaged 34.5 places apart, ending at #97 and #55.
- Longest-running competitions
John and Joseph were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 66 years, from 1952 to 2019, ending at #97 and #55.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — John #1 in 1964, Joseph #11 in 1964.
List by list
Norway · Boys69 shared years, 1949–2025
John held the stronger position in 69 of those years, Joseph in 0.
Highest recorded here: John #12 in 1955, Joseph #272 in 1985.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: John #161, Joseph #465.
New Zealand · Boys68 shared years, 1954–2021
John held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Joseph in 34.
Highest recorded here: John #1 in 1954, Joseph #18 in 1988.
The order changed in 1988: Joseph moved ahead. In 1987 they stood at #20 and #27; by 1988 that had become #26 and #18.
Most recent shared year, 2021: John #86, Joseph #46.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys66 shared years, 1952–2019
John held the stronger position in 43 of those years, Joseph in 23.
Highest recorded here: John #1 in 1952, Joseph #32 in 2005.
The order changed in 1996: Joseph moved ahead. In 1995 they stood at #37 and #42; by 1996 that had become #40 and #37.
Most recent shared year, 2019: John #97, Joseph #55.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
John held the stronger position in 62 of those years, Joseph in 0.
Highest recorded here: John #1 in 1964, Joseph #11 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: John #29, Joseph #64.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
John held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Joseph in 29.
Highest recorded here: John #46 in 1996, Joseph #7 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: John #164, Joseph #56.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
John held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Joseph in 15.
Highest recorded here: John #17 in 1997, Joseph #22 in 2013.
The order changed in 2024: Joseph moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #70 and #76; by 2024 that had become #67 and #34.
Most recent shared year, 2024: John #67, Joseph #34.
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 | John | Joseph |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | 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. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈjɔn/ | |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| 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 #29 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #33 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- John has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Joseph does not have one recorded yet.
- John has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Joseph.
- A meaning is recorded for John; Joseph doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
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
Joseph
Popularity journey
First recorded1949
First recorded at #326 among boys in Norway in 1949 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in England and Wales, in 2000 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #33 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys