John vs Noel
John and Noelcompared 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 1963, John was ranked #3 and Noel #94 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1964, John was ranked #5 and Noel #91 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, John was ranked #29 and Noel #402 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, John was ranked #78 and Noel #619 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, John was ranked #79 and Noel #414 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, John was ranked #161 and Noel #139 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, John was ranked #164 and Noel #567 among boys in England and Wales.
John and Noel over time
John and Noel appear together in 6 published lists, across 165 years of shared records. John held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Noel 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 5 of those lists, and Noel 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 2024, Noel moved ahead of John in Norway · Boys — #144 and #148 the year before became #136 and #132.
- Longest-running competitions
John and Noel were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #29 and #402.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — John #1 in 1952, Noel #54 in 1953.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
John held the stronger position in 62 of those years, Noel in 0.
Highest recorded here: John #1 in 1964, Noel #19 in 1966.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: John #29, Noel #402.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
John held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Noel in 0.
Highest recorded here: John #46 in 1996, Noel #372 in 2015.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: John #164, Noel #567.
Norway · Boys26 shared years, 1994–2025
John held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Noel in 3.
Highest recorded here: John #57 in 1994, Noel #132 in 2024.
The order changed in 2024: Noel moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #144 and #148; by 2024 that had become #136 and #132.
Most recent shared year, 2025: John #161, Noel #139.
Northern Ireland · Boys25 shared years, 1997–2022
John held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Noel in 0.
Highest recorded here: John #17 in 1997, Noel #168 in 1999.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: John #79, Noel #414.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys13 shared years, 1952–1964
John held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Noel in 0.
Highest recorded here: John #1 in 1952, Noel #54 in 1953.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1964: John #5, Noel #91.
New Zealand · Boys10 shared years, 1954–1963
John held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Noel in 0.
Highest recorded here: John #1 in 1954, Noel #63 in 1954.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1963: John #3, Noel #94.
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 | Noel |
|---|---|---|
| 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/ | Not yet recorded |
| 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) | Norway · Boys #139 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| 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 has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Noel does not have one recorded yet.
- John and Noel both have 1 syllable.
- A meaning is recorded for John; Noel 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
Noel
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #56 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #19 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1966 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #139 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys