Anthony vs Colin
Anthony and Colincompared 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 1983, Anthony was ranked #24 and Colin #90 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1975, Anthony was ranked #26 and Colin #99 among boys in New Zealand.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Anthony was ranked #451 and Colin #119 among boys in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Anthony was ranked #135 and Colin #348 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2021, Anthony was ranked #192 and Colin #433 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #216 and Colin #1000 among boys in England and Wales.
Anthony and Colin over time
Anthony and Colin appear together in 6 published lists, across 201 years of shared records. Anthony held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Colin in 1.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Anthony reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Colin in 2. 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Anthony and Colin changed places 12 times in Norway · Boys between 1946 and 2025, ending at #451 and #119.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 32 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Anthony and Colin averaged 35.8 places apart, ending at #24 and #90.
- Longest-running competitions
Anthony and Colin were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 32 years, from 1952 to 1983, ending at #24 and #90.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Anthony #65 in 1996, Colin #311 in 1997.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Anthony held the stronger position in 61 of those years, Colin in 1.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #12 in 1964, Colin #38 in 1985.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anthony #135, Colin #348.
Norway · Boys36 shared years, 1946–2025
Anthony held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Colin in 21.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #312 in 1947, Colin #119 in 2025.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anthony #451, Colin #119.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys32 shared years, 1952–1983
Anthony held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Colin in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #8 in 1968, Colin #22 in 1952.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1983: Anthony #24, Colin #90.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anthony held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Colin in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #65 in 1996, Colin #311 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anthony #216, Colin #1000.
New Zealand · Boys21 shared years, 1954–1975
Anthony held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Colin in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #11 in 1959, Colin #25 in 1955.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1975: Anthony #26, Colin #99.
Northern Ireland · Boys21 shared years, 1997–2021
Anthony held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Colin in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #70 in 1997, Colin #96 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Anthony #192, Colin #433.
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 | Colin |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #135 (2025) | Norway · Boys #119 (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)); Colin does not have one recorded yet.
- Anthony has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Colin.
- A meaning is recorded for Anthony; Colin doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, 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
Colin
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #326 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–1983
Highest recorded position: #22 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1983).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #119 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys