Anthony vs Kevin
Anthony and Kevincompared 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 2001, Anthony was ranked #37 and Kevin #98 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1999, Anthony was ranked #60 and Kevin #94 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Anthony was ranked #135 and Kevin #139 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #152 and Kevin #432 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #202 and Kevin #164 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Anthony was ranked #451 and Kevin #186 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #216 and Kevin #264 among boys in England and Wales.
Anthony and Kevin over time
Anthony and Kevin appear together in 6 published lists, across 266 years of shared records. Anthony held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Kevin in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 2 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, Kevin in 2. 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 1964, Anthony moved ahead of Kevin in New Zealand · Boys — #14 and #13 the year before became #14 and #16.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Anthony and Kevin changed places 4 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2024, ending at #216 and #264.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Anthony and Kevin averaged 47.1 places apart, ending at #216 and #264.
- Longest-running competitions
Anthony and Kevin were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 50 years, from 1952 to 2001, ending at #37 and #98.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Anthony #65 in 1996, Kevin #141 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Anthony held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Kevin in 39.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #12 in 1964, Kevin #11 in 1987.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anthony #135, Kevin #139.
Norway · Boys59 shared years, 1955–2025
Anthony held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Kevin in 51.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #320 in 1960, Kevin #44 in 2002.
The order changed in 1970: Kevin moved ahead. In 1969 they stood at #370 and #475; by 1970 that had become #520 and #462.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anthony #451, Kevin #186.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys50 shared years, 1952–2001
Anthony held the stronger position in 50 of those years, Kevin in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #8 in 1968, Kevin #15 in 1956.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2001: Anthony #37, Kevin #98.
New Zealand · Boys39 shared years, 1954–1999
Anthony held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Kevin in 9.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #11 in 1959, Kevin #8 in 1954.
The order changed in 1964: Anthony moved ahead. In 1963 they stood at #14 and #13; by 1964 that had become #14 and #16.
Most recent shared year, 1999: Anthony #60, Kevin #94.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anthony held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Kevin in 3.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #65 in 1996, Kevin #141 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anthony #216, Kevin #264.
Northern Ireland · Boys27 shared years, 1997–2024
Anthony held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Kevin in 12.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #70 in 1997, Kevin #60 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anthony #202, Kevin #164.
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 | Kevin |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Anglicized form of the Irish Caoimhín, combining Old Irish 'cóem' (dear, beloved, gentle) with 'gein' (birth) — 'beloved birth'. Associated with Saint Caoimhín, who founded a monastery at Glendalough in the 6th century. |
| Origin | Etruscan (unknown origin) | Irish |
| Pronunciation | /ˈæn.θə.ni/ | /ˈkɛv.ɪn/ |
| 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 #139 (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 Kevin is recorded with a Irish origin.
- Anthony has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Kevin.
- Anthony's recorded meaning differs from Kevin'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
Kevin
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #26 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 recorded1954–1999
Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in New Zealand, in 1954 (recorded 1954–1999).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #186 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys