Namewise

John vs William

John and Williamcompared 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 2019, John was ranked #97 and William #3 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, John was ranked #161 and William #3 among boys in Norway.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2021, John was ranked #86 and William #9 among boys in New Zealand.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, John was ranked #174 and William #25 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, John was ranked #29 and William #73 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, John was ranked #67 and William #64 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, John was ranked #78 and William #66 among boys in Scotland.

John and William over time

John and William appear together in 6 published lists, across 335 years of shared records. John held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, William in 2.

The order between them changed and held in 3 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 4 of those lists, and William 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 1991, William moved ahead of John in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #23 and #27 the year before became #33 and #28.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    John and William changed places 9 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2024, ending at #67 and #64.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 66 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, John and William averaged 35.1 places apart, ending at #97 and #3.

  • Longest-running competitions

    John and William were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #174 and #25.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — John #17 in 1997, William #26 in 1997.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys81 shared years, 1945–2025

    John held the stronger position in 52 of those years, William in 29.

    Highest recorded here: John #12 in 1955, William #1 in 2012.

    The order changed in 1997: William moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #69 and #71; by 1997 that had become #71 and #69.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: John #161, William #3.

  • New Zealand · Boys68 shared years, 1954–2021

    John held the stronger position in 32 of those years, William in 36.

    Highest recorded here: John #1 in 1954, William #3 in 2008.

    The order changed in 1986: William moved ahead. In 1985 they stood at #18 and #21; by 1986 that had become #22 and #20.

    Most recent shared year, 2021: John #86, William #9.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys66 shared years, 1952–2019

    John held the stronger position in 39 of those years, William in 27.

    Highest recorded here: John #1 in 1952, William #1 in 2009.

    The order changed in 1991: William moved ahead. In 1990 they stood at #23 and #27; by 1991 that had become #33 and #28.

    Most recent shared year, 2019: John #97, William #3.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025

    John held the stronger position in 62 of those years, William in 0.

    Highest recorded here: John #1 in 1964, William #8 in 1964.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: John #29, William #73.

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

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

    Highest recorded here: John #46 in 1996, William #7 in 2006.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: John #174, William #25.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    John held the stronger position in 14 of those years, William in 13.

    Highest recorded here: John #17 in 1997, William #26 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: John #67, William #64.

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 William

Pairs where William 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 Republic of Ireland lists

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

Republic of Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of John, William
FieldJohnWilliam
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.Commonly interpreted as 'resolute protector' or 'will helmet', combining the ideas of desire/will and protection.
OriginBiblical HebrewGermanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm)
Pronunciation/ˈjɔn//ˈwɪljəm/
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, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #29 (2025)Norway · Boys #3 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • John is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while William is recorded with a Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm) origin.
  • John has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for William.
  • John's recorded meaning differs from William'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

  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

William

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #277 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 recorded1952–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2009 (recorded 1952–2025).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #25 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys