Namewise

Jonathan vs Paul

Jonathan and Paulcompared 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 1998, Jonathan was ranked #48 and Paul #86 among boys in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 1998, Jonathan was ranked #63 and Paul #86 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2024, Jonathan was ranked #90 and Paul #370 among boys in Norway.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Jonathan was ranked #223 and Paul #286 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Jonathan was ranked #305 and Paul #278 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Jonathan was ranked #352 and Paul #290 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Jonathan was ranked #296 and Paul #602 among boys in England and Wales.

Jonathan and Paul over time

Jonathan and Paul appear together in 6 published lists, across 258 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

The order between them changed and held in 5 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Paul reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Jonathan 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 1992, Jonathan moved ahead of Paul in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #56 and #53 the year before became #50 and #53.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Jonathan and Paul changed places 5 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1957 and 1998, ending at #48 and #86.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 35 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Jonathan and Paul averaged 42.9 places apart, ending at #63 and #86.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Jonathan and Paul were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #296 and #602.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Jonathan #39 in 1996, Paul #72 in 1996.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys63 shared years, 1949–2024

    Jonathan held the stronger position in 35 of those years, Paul in 28.

    Highest recorded here: Jonathan #32 in 2011, Paul #72 in 1949.

    The order changed in 1990: Jonathan moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #164 and #159; by 1990 that had become #157 and #172.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Jonathan #90, Paul #370.

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

    Jonathan held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Paul in 55.

    Highest recorded here: Jonathan #18 in 1981, Paul #3 in 1978.

    The order changed in 2022: Jonathan moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #204 and #157; by 2022 that had become #192 and #205.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jonathan #223, Paul #286.

  • New Zealand · Boys40 shared years, 1957–1998

    Jonathan held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Paul in 28.

    Highest recorded here: Jonathan #15 in 1982, Paul #3 in 1965.

    The order changed in 1988: Jonathan moved ahead. In 1987 they stood at #28 and #25; by 1988 that had become #25 and #32.

    Most recent shared year, 1998: Jonathan #48, Paul #86.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys35 shared years, 1963–1998

    Jonathan held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Paul in 29.

    Highest recorded here: Jonathan #41 in 1980, Paul #4 in 1966.

    The order changed in 1992: Jonathan moved ahead. In 1991 they stood at #56 and #53; by 1992 that had become #50 and #53.

    Most recent shared year, 1998: Jonathan #63, Paul #86.

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

    Jonathan held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Paul in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Jonathan #39 in 1996, Paul #72 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jonathan #296, Paul #602.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Jonathan held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Paul in 11.

    Highest recorded here: Jonathan #20 in 1998, Paul #27 in 1997.

    The order changed in 2024: Paul moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #200 and #249; by 2024 that had become #305 and #278.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Jonathan #305, Paul #278.

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 Jonathan

Pairs where Jonathan shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Paul

Pairs where Paul 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 — repeatedly exchanged positions.

All repeatedly exchanged positions→

Other pairs from Northern Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Northern 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.

Northern 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 Jonathan, Paul
FieldJonathanPaul
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedFrom the Roman name Paulus, meaning 'small' in Latin. Saint Paul, originally named Saul, converted to Christianity and became a key missionary figure, authoring several New Testament epistles.
OriginNot yet recordedLatin
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˈpɔːl/
Syllables31
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 observationNorway · Boys #93 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #286 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)76/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Paul has a recorded origin (Latin); Jonathan does not have one recorded yet.
  • Jonathan has 3 syllables, compared with 1 for Paul.
  • A meaning is recorded for Paul; Jonathan 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

Jonathan

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1957–2013

    Highest recorded position: #15 among boys in New Zealand, in 1982 (recorded 1957–2013).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #296 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Paul

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #73 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 recorded1954–1998

    Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New Zealand, in 1965 (recorded 1954–1998).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #602 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys