Anthony vs Harry
Anthony and Harrycompared 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.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #202 and Harry #13 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #216 and Harry #20 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Anthony was ranked #135 and Harry #25 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #152 and Harry #31 among boys in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2021, Anthony was ranked #99 and Harry #33 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2005, Anthony was ranked #75 and Harry #43 among boys in New Zealand.
Norway · Boys
In 2019, Anthony was ranked #396 and Harry #431 among boys in Norway.
Anthony and Harry over time
Anthony and Harry appear together in 6 published lists, across 192 years of shared records. Harry held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Anthony in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 5 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 5 of those lists, Harry 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 took the other's place near the top
In New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Harry moved into the top 50 at #32 in 2006 as Anthony fell out of it to #51, having been #43 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2006, Harry moved ahead of Anthony in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #43 and #46 the year before became #51 and #32.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Anthony and Harry changed places 7 times in Norway · Boys between 1946 and 2019, ending at #396 and #431.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Anthony and Harry averaged 37.0 places apart, ending at #99 and #33.
- Longest-running competitions
Anthony and Harry were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 38 years, from 1946 to 2019, ending at #396 and #431.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys57 shared years, 1965–2025
Anthony held the stronger position in 33 of those years, Harry in 23.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #12 in 1965, Harry #6 in 2018.
The order changed in 2003: Harry moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #64 and #68; by 2003 that had become #68 and #56.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anthony #135, Harry #25.
Norway · Boys38 shared years, 1946–2019
Anthony held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Harry in 24.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #298 in 1949, Harry #69 in 1946.
The order changed in 2017: Anthony moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #426 and #410; by 2017 that had become #418 and #478.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Anthony #396, Harry #431.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anthony held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Harry in 29.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #65 in 1996, Harry #1 in 2011.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anthony #216, Harry #20.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys28 shared years, 1992–2021
Anthony held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Harry in 17.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #30 in 1992, Harry #15 in 2018.
The order changed in 2006: Harry moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #43 and #46; by 2006 that had become #51 and #32.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Anthony #99, Harry #33.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Anthony held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Harry in 27.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #70 in 1997, Harry #4 in 2012.
The order changed in 1998: Harry moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #70 and #87; by 1998 that had become #88 and #68.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anthony #202, Harry #13.
New Zealand · Boys12 shared years, 1994–2005
Anthony held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Harry in 6.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #44 in 1994, Harry #37 in 2004.
The order changed in 2000: Harry moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #60 and #66; by 2000 that had become #68 and #58.
Most recent shared year, 2005: Anthony #75, Harry #43.
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 | Harry |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | A diminutive/pet form, inheriting its meaning from Henry — 'home ruler' — and functioning, in modern times, as a nickname for both Henry and names beginning with 'Har-'. During the Middle Ages in England, Henry was generally rendered as Harry or Herry in English pronunciation. |
| Origin | Etruscan (unknown origin) | English, medieval form/diminutive of Henry |
| Pronunciation | /ˈæn.θə.ni/ | /ˈhæri/ |
| 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 #25 (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 Harry is recorded with a English, medieval form/diminutive of Henry origin.
- Anthony has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Harry.
- Anthony's recorded meaning differs from Harry'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
Harry
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #70 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in England and Wales, in 2011 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #39 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys