Adam vs Shane
Adam and Shanecompared 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.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Adam was ranked #20 and Shane #152 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1996, Adam was ranked #26 and Shane #83 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Adam was ranked #35 and Shane #857 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Adam was ranked #38 and Shane #216 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Adam was ranked #42 and Shane #478 among boys in Scotland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1998, Adam was ranked #44 and Shane #90 among boys in New Zealand.
Adam and Shane over time
Adam and Shane appear together in 5 published lists, across 187 years of shared records. Adam held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Shane in 2.
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.
Shane reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Adam in 1. 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 1972, Adam moved ahead of Shane in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #18 and #15 the year before became #13 and #16.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 36 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Adam and Shane averaged 22.6 places apart, ending at #26 and #83.
- Mirrored each other
Over 36 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Adam rose about as far as Shane fell — from #84 and #47 in 1961 to #26 and #83 in 1996.
- Longest-running competitions
Adam and Shane were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 36 years, from 1961 to 1996, ending at #26 and #83.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Adam #16 in 1996, Shane #74 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys61 shared years, 1965–2025
Adam held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Shane in 33.
Highest recorded here: Adam #3 in 2001, Shane #3 in 1996.
The order changed in 1998: Adam moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #12 and #6; by 1998 that had become #5 and #11.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Adam #20, Shane #152.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys36 shared years, 1961–1996
Adam held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Shane in 10.
Highest recorded here: Adam #7 in 1979, Shane #15 in 1971.
The order changed in 1972: Adam moved ahead. In 1971 they stood at #18 and #15; by 1972 that had become #13 and #16.
Most recent shared year, 1996: Adam #26, Shane #83.
New Zealand · Boys33 shared years, 1965–1998
Adam held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Shane in 17.
Highest recorded here: Adam #13 in 1986, Shane #12 in 1968.
The order changed in 1982: Adam moved ahead. In 1981 they stood at #29 and #23; by 1982 that had become #19 and #25.
Most recent shared year, 1998: Adam #44, Shane #90.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Adam held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Shane in 0.
Highest recorded here: Adam #16 in 1996, Shane #74 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Adam #35, Shane #857.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Adam held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Shane in 0.
Highest recorded here: Adam #3 in 2001, Shane #41 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Adam #38, Shane #216.
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 | Adam | Shane |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Traditionally understood as the Hebrew word for 'man', with a wordplay connection in Genesis to 'ground/earth', since Adam is described as formed from earth. | An Anglicized form of Seán, ultimately from Hebrew elements meaning 'Yahweh' and 'gracious' — the same root tradition as John. Popularised in America by the 1953 western film Shane. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Hebrew, via Irish Seán |
| Pronunciation | /ˈædəm/ | /ˈʃeɪn/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Seán, Sean, Shaun, Shawn |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #20 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #152 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Adam is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Shane is recorded with a Hebrew, via Irish Seán origin.
- Adam and Shane both have 2 syllables.
- Adam's recorded meaning differs from Shane's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Adam a "medium" Data Confidence level and Shane a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Adam
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #380 among boys in Norway in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2001 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #72 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Shane
Popularity journey
First recorded1954
First recorded at #72 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1954 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1996 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #152 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys