Anthony vs Gary
Anthony and Garycompared 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 1984, Anthony was ranked #25 and Gary #88 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1981, Anthony was ranked #37 and Gary #94 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #102 and Gary #785 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Anthony was ranked #147 and Gary #352 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #152 and Gary #619 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #216 and Gary #2671 among boys in England and Wales.
Anthony and Gary over time
Anthony and Gary appear together in 5 published lists, across 165 years of shared records. Anthony held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Gary in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Gary 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1955, Anthony moved ahead of Gary in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #14 and #12 the year before became #13 and #14.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Anthony and Gary changed places 4 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2024, ending at #102 and #785.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 31 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Anthony and Gary averaged 30.7 places apart, ending at #25 and #88.
- Longest-running competitions
Anthony and Gary were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 31 years, from 1952 to 1984, ending at #25 and #88.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Anthony #65 in 1996, Gary #147 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys60 shared years, 1964–2024
Anthony held the stronger position in 57 of those years, Gary in 3.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #12 in 1964, Gary #25 in 1991.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anthony #102, Gary #785.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys31 shared years, 1952–1984
Anthony held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Gary in 3.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #8 in 1968, Gary #8 in 1952.
The order changed in 1955: Anthony moved ahead. In 1954 they stood at #14 and #12; by 1955 that had become #13 and #14.
Most recent shared year, 1984: Anthony #25, Gary #88.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anthony held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Gary in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #65 in 1996, Gary #147 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anthony #216, Gary #2671.
New Zealand · Boys25 shared years, 1954–1981
Anthony held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Gary in 1.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #11 in 1959, Gary #19 in 1956.
The order changed in 1955: Anthony moved ahead. In 1954 they stood at #22 and #21; by 1955 that had become #18 and #22.
Most recent shared year, 1981: Anthony #37, Gary #94.
Northern Ireland · Boys20 shared years, 1997–2022
Anthony held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Gary in 4.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #70 in 1997, Gary #57 in 1997.
The order changed in 2003: Anthony moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #90 and #82; by 2003 that had become #81 and #201.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Anthony #147, Gary #352.
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 | Gary |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | An English surname originally a short form of Norman given names beginning with the Old German element 'ger' ('spear'). Adopted as a stage name by actor Gary Cooper, after Gary, Indiana. |
| Origin | Etruscan (unknown origin) | Germanic (surname origin) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈæn.θə.ni/ | /ˈɡæɹ.i/ |
| 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, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #135 (2025) | Scotland · Boys #619 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| 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 is recorded with a Etruscan (unknown origin) origin, while Gary is recorded with a Germanic (surname origin) origin.
- Anthony has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Gary.
- Anthony's recorded meaning differs from Gary's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, 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
Gary
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #8 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 recorded1952–1984
Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1984).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2671 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys