Jonathan vs Josh
Jonathan and Joshcompared 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 2000, Jonathan was ranked #62 and Josh #87 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Jonathan was ranked #305 and Josh #177 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Jonathan was ranked #223 and Josh #188 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Jonathan was ranked #352 and Josh #218 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Jonathan was ranked #302 and Josh #857 among boys in England and Wales.
Jonathan and Josh over time
Jonathan and Josh appear together in 3 published lists, across 93 years of shared records. Josh held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Jonathan in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Jonathan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Josh 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, Josh moved ahead of Jonathan in Northern Ireland · Boys — #200 and #221 the year before became #305 and #177.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Jonathan and Josh changed places 5 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2024, ending at #305 and #177.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Boys, Jonathan and Josh averaged 47.9 places apart, ending at #305 and #177.
- Longest-running competitions
Jonathan and Josh were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 36 years, from 1989 to 2025, ending at #223 and #188.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys36 shared years, 1989–2025
Jonathan held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Josh in 25.
Highest recorded here: Jonathan #31 in 1989, Josh #56 in 2003.
The order changed in 2001: Josh moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #73 and #89; by 2001 that had become #86 and #81.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jonathan #223, Josh #188.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Jonathan held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Josh in 0.
Highest recorded here: Jonathan #39 in 1996, Josh #84 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jonathan #302, Josh #857.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Jonathan held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Josh in 16.
Highest recorded here: Jonathan #20 in 1998, Josh #38 in 2005.
The order changed in 2024: Josh moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #200 and #221; by 2024 that had become #305 and #177.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jonathan #305, Josh #177.
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 | Jonathan | Josh |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 3 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Boys #93 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #188 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 76/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Jonathan has 3 syllables, compared with 1 for Josh.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Jonathan
Popularity journey
First recorded1949
First recorded at #371 among boys in Norway in 1949 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1957–2013
Highest recorded position: #15 among boys in New Zealand, in 1982 (recorded 1957–2013).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #93 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys
Josh
Popularity journey
First recorded1989
First recorded at #278 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1989 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #38 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2005 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #188 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys