Namewise

John vs Murray

John and Murraycompared 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 South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 1971, John was ranked #10 and Murray #92 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 1973, John was ranked #14 and Murray #100 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, John was ranked #29 and Murray #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2014, John was ranked #53 and Murray #398 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, John was ranked #78 and Murray #88 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, John was ranked #174 and Murray #2014 among boys in England and Wales.

John and Murray over time

John and Murray appear together in 3 published lists, across 65 years of shared records. John held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Murray in 0.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

John reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Murray 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.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 20 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, John and Murray averaged 32.8 places apart, ending at #14 and #100.

  • Longest-running competitions

    John and Murray were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #174 and #2014.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — John #46 in 1996, Murray #471 in 1997.

List by list

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

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

    Highest recorded here: John #46 in 1996, Murray #471 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: John #174, Murray #2014.

  • New Zealand · Boys20 shared years, 1954–1973

    John held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Murray in 0.

    Highest recorded here: John #1 in 1954, Murray #16 in 1955.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1973: John #14, Murray #100.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys15 shared years, 1957–1971

    John held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Murray in 0.

    Highest recorded here: John #2 in 1957, Murray #70 in 1963.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1971: John #10, Murray #92.

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 Murray

Pairs where Murray 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 — peaked in the same years.

All peaked in the same years→

Other pairs from New Zealand lists

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

New Zealand overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 1970s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1970 and 1979.

The 1970s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of John, Murray
FieldJohnMurray
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
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.Originally a Scottish surname/place-name derived from the region of Moray; traditionally glossed as relating to 'seashore' or 'coastal land', though the exact pre-Gaelic (possibly Pictish) root is uncertain.
OriginBiblical HebrewScottish Gaelic, from the place name Moray (possibly of Pictish origin)
Pronunciation/ˈjɔn//ˈmɜri/
Syllables12
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #29 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #829 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • John is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Murray is recorded with a Scottish Gaelic, from the place name Moray (possibly of Pictish origin) origin.
  • John has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Murray.
  • John's recorded meaning differs from Murray's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.

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

Murray

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1954

    First recorded at #17 among boys in New Zealand in 1954 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New Zealand · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1954–1973

    Highest recorded position: #16 among boys in New Zealand, in 1955 (recorded 1954–1973).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #2014 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys