Anthony vs Gavan
Anthony and Gavancompared 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 2006, Anthony was ranked #70 and Gavan #596 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2005, Anthony was ranked #111 and Gavan #2754 among boys in England and Wales.
Anthony and Gavan over time
Anthony and Gavan appear together in 1 published list, across 31 years of shared records. Anthony held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Gavan in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Anthony reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Gavan 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.
- Longest-running competitions
Anthony and Gavan were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 31 years, from 1966 to 2006, ending at #70 and #596.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys31 shared years, 1966–2006
Anthony held the stronger position in 31 of those years, Gavan in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #12 in 1966, Gavan #182 in 1973.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2006: Anthony #70, Gavan #596.
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 | Gavan |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | GB-ENW, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #135 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #596 (2006) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 60/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Anthony has a recorded origin (Etruscan (unknown origin)); Gavan does not have one recorded yet.
- Anthony has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Gavan.
- A meaning is recorded for Anthony; Gavan doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE.
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
Gavan
Popularity journey
First recorded1966
First recorded at #199 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1966 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1966–2006
Highest recorded position: #182 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1973 (recorded 1966–2006).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2006
Most recently recorded at #596 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2006.
Republic of Ireland · Boys