John vs Martin
John and Martincompared 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.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1992, John was ranked #29 and Martin #99 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, John was ranked #29 and Martin #102 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1992, John was ranked #32 and Martin #97 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, John was ranked #67 and Martin #216 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, John was ranked #161 and Martin #69 among boys in Norway.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, John was ranked #78 and Martin #352 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, John was ranked #164 and Martin #346 among boys in England and Wales.
John and Martin over time
John and Martin appear together in 6 published lists, across 273 years of shared records. John held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Martin 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 3 of those lists, and Martin 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 1979, Martin moved ahead of John in Norway · Boys — #30 and #31 the year before became #31 and #23.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 41 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, John and Martin averaged 49.7 places apart, ending at #32 and #97.
- Longest-running competitions
John and Martin were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 41 years, from 1952 to 1992, ending at #32 and #97.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — John #46 in 1996, Martin #109 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Boys81 shared years, 1945–2025
John held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Martin in 47.
Highest recorded here: John #12 in 1955, Martin #1 in 1992.
The order changed in 1979: Martin moved ahead. In 1978 they stood at #30 and #31; by 1979 that had become #31 and #23.
Most recent shared year, 2025: John #161, Martin #69.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
John held the stronger position in 62 of those years, Martin in 0.
Highest recorded here: John #1 in 1964, Martin #9 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: John #29, Martin #102.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys41 shared years, 1952–1992
John held the stronger position in 41 of those years, Martin in 0.
Highest recorded here: John #1 in 1952, Martin #41 in 1967.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1992: John #32, Martin #97.
New Zealand · Boys32 shared years, 1954–1992
John held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Martin in 0.
Highest recorded here: John #1 in 1954, Martin #34 in 1963.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1992: John #29, Martin #99.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
John held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Martin in 0.
Highest recorded here: John #46 in 1996, Martin #109 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: John #164, Martin #346.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
John held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Martin in 0.
Highest recorded here: John #17 in 1997, Martin #49 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: John #67, Martin #216.
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 | Martin |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | From the Roman name Martinus, connected to Mars, the Roman god of war. Widely known through Saint Martin of Tours, a 4th-century bishop and patron saint of France. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Latin (Ancient Roman) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈjɔn/ | /ˈmɑɹ.tɪn/ |
| 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) | Norway · Boys #69 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| 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 is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Martin is recorded with a Latin (Ancient Roman) origin.
- John has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Martin.
- John's recorded meaning differs from Martin'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
Martin
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #83 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Norway, in 1992 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #69 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys