Abel vs Shannon
Abel and Shannoncompared 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.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2019, Abel was ranked #224 and Shannon #4702 among boys in England and Wales.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2021, Abel was ranked #5581 and Shannon #1505 among girls in England and Wales.
Abel and Shannon over time
Abel and Shannon appear together in 1 published list, across 15 years of shared records. Abel held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Shannon in 0.
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.
Shannon reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Abel 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.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys15 shared years, 1996–2019
Abel held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Shannon in 1.
Highest recorded here: Abel #196 in 2017, Shannon #1168 in 1996.
The order changed in 1997: Abel moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #1337 and #1168; by 1997 that had become #1010 and #1761.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Abel #224, Shannon #4702.
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 | Abel | Shannon |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | ||
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Boys #110 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #885 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Abel and Shannon both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
Abel
Popularity journey
First recorded1977
First recorded at #581 among boys in Norway in 1977 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1977–2025
Highest recorded position: #82 among boys in Norway, in 2021 (recorded 1977–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #110 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys
Shannon
Popularity journey
First recorded1973
First recorded at #69 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1973 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 1997 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #885 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls