Namewise

Abigail vs Shannon

Abigail 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.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2001, Abigail was ranked #62 and Shannon #83 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Abigail was ranked #80 and Shannon #407 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Abigail was ranked #115 and Shannon #885 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Abigail was ranked #171 and Shannon #2138 among girls in England and Wales.

Abigail and Shannon over time

Abigail and Shannon appear together in 4 published lists, across 113 years of shared records. Abigail held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Shannon in 1.

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.

Shannon reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Abigail 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 1999, Abigail moved ahead of Shannon in England and Wales · Girls — #22 and #18 the year before became #20 and #21.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Abigail and Shannon changed places 6 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1974 and 2025, ending at #115 and #885.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 45 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Abigail rose about as far as Shannon fell — from #428 and #490 in 1974 to #115 and #885 in 2025.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Abigail and Shannon were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #171 and #2138.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Girls within 2 years — Abigail #53 in 1998, Shannon #35 in 1997.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1996 they stood at #21 and #11 in England and Wales · Girls, 10 places apart; by 2025 they were #171 and #2138.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls45 shared years, 1974–2025

    Abigail held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Shannon in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Abigail #36 in 2008, Shannon #11 in 1995.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Abigail #115, Shannon #885.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Abigail held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Shannon in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Abigail #19 in 2000, Shannon #11 in 1996.

    The order changed in 1999: Abigail moved ahead. In 1998 they stood at #22 and #18; by 1999 that had become #20 and #21.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Abigail #171, Shannon #2138.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Abigail held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Shannon in 9.

    Highest recorded here: Abigail #29 in 2005, Shannon #2 in 1997.

    The order changed in 2007: Abigail moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #41 and #38; by 2007 that had become #34 and #40.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Abigail #80, Shannon #407.

  • New Zealand · Girls10 shared years, 1991–2001

    Abigail held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Shannon in 8.

    Highest recorded here: Abigail #53 in 1998, Shannon #35 in 1997.

    The order changed in 2001: Abigail moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #68 and #62; by 2001 that had become #62 and #83.

    Most recent shared year, 2001: Abigail #62, Shannon #83.

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 Abigail

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

Other comparisons involving Shannon

Pairs where Shannon 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 — started together, ended far apart.

All started together, ended far apart→

Other pairs from England and Wales lists

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

England and Wales 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 Abigail, Shannon
FieldAbigailShannon
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
PronunciationNot yet recorded
Syllables32
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, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNew South Wales, Australia · Girls #55 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #885 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Abigail has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Shannon.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Abigail

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1969

    First recorded at #303 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1969 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #19 among girls in England and Wales, in 2000 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #171 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Shannon

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1997–2024

    Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 1997 (recorded 1997–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #2138 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls