Anthony vs David
Anthony and Davidcompared 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, Anthony was ranked #135 and David #45 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2005, Anthony was ranked #75 and David #46 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #216 and David #64 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #152 and David #71 among boys in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2018, Anthony was ranked #86 and David #97 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Anthony was ranked #451 and David #88 among boys in Norway.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #202 and David #104 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Anthony and David over time
Anthony and David appear together in 6 published lists, across 301 years of shared records. David held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Anthony in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Anthony reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, David 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 1998, Anthony moved ahead of David in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #41 and #30 the year before became #37 and #43.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 65 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Anthony and David averaged 12.6 places apart, ending at #86 and #97.
- Longest-running competitions
Anthony and David were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 65 years, from 1952 to 2018, ending at #86 and #97.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Anthony #65 in 1996, David #32 in 1996.
List by list
New South Wales, Australia · Boys65 shared years, 1952–2018
Anthony held the stronger position in 19 of those years, David in 46.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #8 in 1968, David #1 in 1961.
The order changed in 1998: Anthony moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #41 and #30; by 1998 that had become #37 and #43.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Anthony #86, David #97.
Norway · Boys65 shared years, 1946–2025
Anthony held the stronger position in 0 of those years, David in 65.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #298 in 1949, David #38 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anthony #451, David #88.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Anthony held the stronger position in 0 of those years, David in 62.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #12 in 1964, David #1 in 1985.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anthony #135, David #45.
New Zealand · Boys52 shared years, 1954–2005
Anthony held the stronger position in 0 of those years, David in 52.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #11 in 1959, David #1 in 1960.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2005: Anthony #75, David #46.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anthony held the stronger position in 0 of those years, David in 29.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #65 in 1996, David #32 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anthony #216, David #64.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Anthony held the stronger position in 0 of those years, David in 28.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #70 in 1997, David #9 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anthony #202, David #104.
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 | David |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| 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. | Commonly interpreted as 'beloved', with a possible secondary sense of 'uncle' for the root. |
| Origin | Etruscan (unknown origin) | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈæn.θə.ni/ | /ˈdeɪvɪd/ |
| 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, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #135 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #45 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| 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 is recorded with a Etruscan (unknown origin) origin, while David is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Anthony has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for David.
- Anthony's recorded meaning differs from David's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, 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
David
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #167 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2018
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1961 (recorded 1952–2018).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #88 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys