John vs Roger
John and Rogercompared 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 1969, John was ranked #7 and Roger #84 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1972, John was ranked #13 and Roger #91 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2021, John was ranked #28 and Roger #631 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2013, John was ranked #120 and Roger #514 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, John was ranked #164 and Roger #2263 among boys in England and Wales.
John and Roger over time
John and Roger appear together in 5 published lists, across 169 years of shared records. John held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Roger 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 Roger 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.
- Longest-running competitions
John and Roger were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 62 years, from 1945 to 2013, ending at #120 and #514.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — John #46 in 1996, Roger #694 in 1997.
List by list
Norway · Boys62 shared years, 1945–2013
John held the stronger position in 54 of those years, Roger in 8.
Highest recorded here: John #12 in 1955, Roger #18 in 1972.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2013: John #120, Roger #514.
Republic of Ireland · Boys41 shared years, 1964–2021
John held the stronger position in 41 of those years, Roger in 0.
Highest recorded here: John #1 in 1964, Roger #99 in 1965.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2021: John #28, Roger #631.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
John held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Roger in 0.
Highest recorded here: John #46 in 1996, Roger #694 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: John #164, Roger #2263.
New Zealand · Boys19 shared years, 1954–1972
John held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Roger in 0.
Highest recorded here: John #1 in 1954, Roger #37 in 1954.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1972: John #13, Roger #91.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys18 shared years, 1952–1969
John held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Roger in 0.
Highest recorded here: John #1 in 1952, Roger #64 in 1952.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1969: John #7, Roger #84.
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 | Roger |
|---|---|---|
| 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, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #29 (2025) | England and Wales · Boys #2263 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- John has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Roger does not have one recorded yet.
- John has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Roger.
- A meaning is recorded for John; Roger doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, 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
Roger
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #86 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1945–2013
Highest recorded position: #18 among boys in Norway, in 1972 (recorded 1945–2013).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2263 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys