Anthony vs Joe
Anthony and Joecompared 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 Joe #152 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #152 and Joe #404 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #202 and Joe #202 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #216 and Joe #785 among boys in England and Wales.
Anthony and Joe over time
Anthony and Joe appear together in 3 published lists, across 93 years of shared records. Anthony held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Joe in 1.
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, and Joe 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2012, Anthony moved ahead of Joe in England and Wales · Boys — #153 and #140 the year before became #142 and #147.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Anthony and Joe changed places 13 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2024, ending at #202 and #202.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Boys, Anthony and Joe averaged 54.4 places apart, ending at #202 and #202.
- Longest-running competitions
Anthony and Joe were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 36 years, from 1985 to 2025, ending at #135 and #152.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Anthony #65 in 1996, Joe #48 in 1997.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys36 shared years, 1985–2025
Anthony held the stronger position in 36 of those years, Joe in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #20 in 1985, Joe #117 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anthony #135, Joe #152.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anthony held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Joe in 16.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #65 in 1996, Joe #48 in 1997.
The order changed in 2012: Anthony moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #153 and #140; by 2012 that had become #142 and #147.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anthony #216, Joe #785.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Anthony held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Joe in 9.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #70 in 1997, Joe #88 in 2017.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anthony #202, Joe #202.
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 | Joe |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 1 |
| 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, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #135 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #152 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| 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 has a recorded origin (Etruscan (unknown origin)); Joe does not have one recorded yet.
- Anthony has 3 syllables, compared with 1 for Joe.
- A meaning is recorded for Anthony; Joe doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, 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
Joe
Popularity journey
First recorded1985
First recorded at #304 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1985 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #48 among boys in England and Wales, in 1997 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #152 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys