Anthony vs Denis
Anthony and Deniscompared 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 1955, Anthony was ranked #13 and Denis #97 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1954, Anthony was ranked #22 and Denis #82 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Anthony was ranked #135 and Denis #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #202 and Denis #305 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #216 and Denis #434 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2023, Anthony was ranked #406 and Denis #454 among boys in Norway.
Anthony and Denis over time
Anthony and Denis appear together in 4 published lists, across 154 years of shared records. Anthony held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Denis in 1.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Anthony reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Denis 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Anthony and Denis changed places 24 times in Norway · Boys between 1970 and 2023, ending at #406 and #454.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 62 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Anthony and Denis averaged 51.0 places apart, ending at #135 and #232.
- Longest-running competitions
Anthony and Denis were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 46 years, from 1970 to 2023, ending at #406 and #454.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Anthony #12 in 1964, Denis #21 in 1964.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Anthony held the stronger position in 62 of those years, Denis in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #12 in 1964, Denis #21 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anthony #135, Denis #232.
Norway · Boys46 shared years, 1970–2023
Anthony held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Denis in 24.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #320 in 2000, Denis #249 in 1984.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Anthony #406, Denis #454.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anthony held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Denis in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #65 in 1996, Denis #262 in 2020.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anthony #216, Denis #434.
Northern Ireland · Boys17 shared years, 1998–2024
Anthony held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Denis in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #83 in 2000, Denis #231 in 2011.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anthony #202, Denis #305.
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 | Denis |
|---|---|---|
| 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) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (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)); Denis does not have one recorded yet.
- Anthony has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Denis.
- A meaning is recorded for Anthony; Denis 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
Denis
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #65 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: #21 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys