Anthony vs Carl
Anthony and Carlcompared 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 1992, Anthony was ranked #40 and Carl #100 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2023, Anthony was ranked #103 and Carl #770 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2015, Anthony was ranked #142 and Carl #415 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Anthony was ranked #451 and Carl #192 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #216 and Carl #2263 among boys in England and Wales.
Anthony and Carl over time
Anthony and Carl appear together in 5 published lists, across 196 years of shared records. Anthony held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Carl in 1.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Anthony reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Carl 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.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 34 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Anthony and Carl averaged 42.2 places apart, ending at #40 and #100.
- Longest-running competitions
Anthony and Carl were both ranked in New Zealand · Boys for 34 years, from 1959 to 1992, ending at #40 and #100.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Anthony #65 in 1996, Carl #116 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Boys65 shared years, 1946–2025
Anthony held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Carl in 65.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #298 in 1949, Carl #83 in 1990.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anthony #451, Carl #192.
Republic of Ireland · Boys54 shared years, 1964–2023
Anthony held the stronger position in 54 of those years, Carl in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #12 in 1964, Carl #97 in 1989.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Anthony #103, Carl #770.
New Zealand · Boys34 shared years, 1959–1992
Anthony held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Carl in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #11 in 1959, Carl #41 in 1981.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1992: Anthony #40, Carl #100.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anthony held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Carl in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #65 in 1996, Carl #116 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anthony #216, Carl #2263.
Northern Ireland · Boys14 shared years, 1997–2015
Anthony held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Carl in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #70 in 1997, Carl #130 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2015: Anthony #142, Carl #415.
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 | Carl |
|---|---|---|
| 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/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 3 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #135 (2025) | Norway · Boys #192 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Anthony has a recorded origin (Etruscan (unknown origin)); Carl does not have one recorded yet.
- Anthony has 3 syllables, compared with 1 for Carl.
- A meaning is recorded for Anthony; Carl doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, 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
Carl
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #133 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1959–1992
Highest recorded position: #41 among boys in New Zealand, in 1981 (recorded 1959–1992).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #192 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys