John vs Mark
John and Markcompared 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 Mark #99 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2000, John was ranked #50 and Mark #89 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2001, John was ranked #53 and Mark #90 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, John was ranked #67 and Mark #177 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, John was ranked #78 and Mark #169 among boys in Scotland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, John was ranked #161 and Mark #286 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, John was ranked #164 and Mark #277 among boys in England and Wales.
John and Mark over time
John and Mark appear together in 6 published lists, across 289 years of shared records. John held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Mark in 1.
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 Mark 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 2002, John moved ahead of Mark in Northern Ireland · Boys — #21 and #19 the year before became #23 and #24.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
John and Mark changed places 4 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1954 and 2000, ending at #50 and #89.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 50 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, John and Mark averaged 8.9 places apart, ending at #53 and #90.
- Longest-running competitions
John and Mark were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 50 years, from 1952 to 2001, ending at #53 and #90.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — John #46 in 1996, Mark #55 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Boys74 shared years, 1950–2025
John held the stronger position in 74 of those years, Mark in 0.
Highest recorded here: John #12 in 1955, Mark #211 in 1970.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: John #161, Mark #286.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
John held the stronger position in 62 of those years, Mark in 0.
Highest recorded here: John #1 in 1964, Mark #7 in 1974.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: John #29, Mark #99.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys50 shared years, 1952–2001
John held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Mark in 29.
Highest recorded here: John #1 in 1952, Mark #2 in 1960.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2001: John #53, Mark #90.
New Zealand · Boys46 shared years, 1954–2000
John held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Mark in 21.
Highest recorded here: John #1 in 1954, Mark #2 in 1974.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2000: John #50, Mark #89.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
John held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Mark in 0.
Highest recorded here: John #46 in 1996, Mark #55 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: John #164, Mark #277.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
John held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Mark in 5.
Highest recorded here: John #17 in 1997, Mark #12 in 1999.
The order changed in 2002: John moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #21 and #19; by 2002 that had become #23 and #24.
Most recent shared year, 2024: John #67, Mark #177.
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 | Mark |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| 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. | A form of the Latin name Marcus used in several languages. Saint Mark authored the second Gospel and is patron saint of Venice. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Latin |
| Pronunciation | /ˈjɔn/ | /ˈmɑɹk/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| 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) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #99 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- John is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Mark is recorded with a Latin origin.
- John and Mark both have 1 syllable.
- John's recorded meaning differs from Mark's — see the table above for each.
- 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
Mark
Popularity journey
First recorded1950
First recorded at #362 among boys in Norway in 1950 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2001
Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1960 (recorded 1952–2001).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #286 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys