Anthony vs Barry
Anthony and Barrycompared 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 South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1973, Anthony was ranked #17 and Barry #97 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1972, Anthony was ranked #21 and Barry #73 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Anthony was ranked #135 and Barry #402 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Anthony was ranked #147 and Barry #414 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #216 and Barry #3254 among boys in England and Wales.
Anthony and Barry over time
Anthony and Barry appear together in 5 published lists, across 151 years of shared records. Anthony held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Barry in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Barry reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Anthony 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.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 21 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Anthony and Barry averaged 42.5 places apart, ending at #17 and #97.
- Longest-running competitions
Anthony and Barry were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #135 and #402.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Anthony #65 in 1996, Barry #441 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Anthony held the stronger position in 61 of those years, Barry in 1.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #12 in 1964, Barry #17 in 1985.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anthony #135, Barry #402.
England and Wales · Boys28 shared years, 1996–2024
Anthony held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Barry in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #65 in 1996, Barry #441 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anthony #216, Barry #3254.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys21 shared years, 1952–1973
Anthony held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Barry in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #8 in 1968, Barry #30 in 1952.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1973: Anthony #17, Barry #97.
Northern Ireland · Boys21 shared years, 1997–2022
Anthony held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Barry in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #70 in 1997, Barry #90 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Anthony #147, Barry #414.
New Zealand · Boys19 shared years, 1954–1972
Anthony held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Barry in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #11 in 1959, Barry #24 in 1955.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1972: Anthony #21, Barry #73.
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 | Anthony | Barry |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | The English form of the Roman family name Antonius, of unknown Etruscan origin. Later incorrectly associated with Greek 'anthos' ('flower'), which led to the addition of the 'h' to this spelling in the 17th century. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Etruscan (unknown origin) | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈæn.θə.ni/ | |
| Syllables | 3 | 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, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #135 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #402 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Anthony has a recorded origin (Etruscan (unknown origin)); Barry does not have one recorded yet.
- Anthony has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Barry.
- A meaning is recorded for Anthony; Barry doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Anthony
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #355 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2021
Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1968 (recorded 1952–2021).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #451 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys
Barry
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #30 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — 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: #17 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1985 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #402 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys