Joseph vs Simon
Joseph and Simoncompared 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 1997, Joseph was ranked #24 and Simon #83 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1997, Joseph was ranked #38 and Simon #94 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Joseph was ranked #48 and Simon #311 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Joseph was ranked #56 and Simon #524 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Joseph was ranked #64 and Simon #244 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Joseph was ranked #82 and Simon #535 among boys in Scotland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Joseph was ranked #465 and Simon #159 among boys in Norway.
Joseph and Simon over time
Joseph and Simon appear together in 6 published lists, across 270 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
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.
Simon reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Joseph in 2. 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 1969, Simon moved ahead of Joseph in Norway · Boys — #320 and #326 the year before became #383 and #198.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Joseph and Simon changed places 4 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1954 and 1997, ending at #24 and #83.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 43 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Joseph and Simon averaged 21.8 places apart, ending at #38 and #94.
- Longest-running competitions
Joseph and Simon were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 43 years, from 1955 to 1997, ending at #38 and #94.
List by list
Norway · Boys69 shared years, 1949–2025
Joseph held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Simon in 65.
Highest recorded here: Joseph #272 in 1985, Simon #35 in 1992.
The order changed in 1969: Simon moved ahead. In 1968 they stood at #320 and #326; by 1969 that had become #383 and #198.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Joseph #465, Simon #159.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Joseph held the stronger position in 62 of those years, Simon in 0.
Highest recorded here: Joseph #11 in 1964, Simon #46 in 1987.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Joseph #64, Simon #244.
New Zealand · Boys44 shared years, 1954–1997
Joseph held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Simon in 31.
Highest recorded here: Joseph #18 in 1988, Simon #12 in 1976.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1997: Joseph #24, Simon #83.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys43 shared years, 1955–1997
Joseph held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Simon in 24.
Highest recorded here: Joseph #34 in 1994, Simon #24 in 1970.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1997: Joseph #38, Simon #94.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Joseph held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Simon in 0.
Highest recorded here: Joseph #7 in 2000, Simon #87 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Joseph #56, Simon #524.
Northern Ireland · Boys23 shared years, 1997–2022
Joseph held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Simon in 0.
Highest recorded here: Joseph #22 in 2013, Simon #95 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Joseph #48, Simon #311.
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 | Joseph | Simon |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| Syllables | 2 | 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, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #33 (2025) | Norway · Boys #159 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Joseph and Simon both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Joseph
Popularity journey
First recorded1949
First recorded at #326 among boys in Norway in 1949 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in England and Wales, in 2000 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #33 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Simon
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #266 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1997
Highest recorded position: #12 among boys in New Zealand, in 1976 (recorded 1954–1997).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #159 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys