Anthony vs Philip
Anthony and Philipcompared 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 1988, Anthony was ranked #27 and Philip #98 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1992, Anthony was ranked #40 and Philip #95 among boys in New Zealand.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Anthony was ranked #451 and Philip #91 among boys in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Anthony was ranked #135 and Philip #309 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Anthony was ranked #147 and Philip #311 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #152 and Philip #619 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #216 and Philip #461 among boys in England and Wales.
Anthony and Philip over time
Anthony and Philip appear together in 6 published lists, across 249 years of shared records. Anthony held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Philip in 1.
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, Philip 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 2002, Anthony moved ahead of Philip in Northern Ireland · Boys — #103 and #80 the year before became #90 and #96.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Anthony and Philip changed places 9 times in Norway · Boys between 1949 and 2025, ending at #451 and #91.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 36 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Anthony and Philip averaged 41.7 places apart, ending at #27 and #98.
- Mirrored each other
Over 58 shared years in Norway · Boys, Philip rose about as far as Anthony fell — from #298 and #359 in 1949 to #451 and #91 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Anthony and Philip were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 36 years, from 1952 to 1988, ending at #27 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, Philip #103 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Anthony held the stronger position in 62 of those years, Philip in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #12 in 1964, Philip #30 in 1978.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anthony #135, Philip #309.
Norway · Boys58 shared years, 1949–2025
Anthony held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Philip in 49.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #298 in 1949, Philip #68 in 2013.
The order changed in 1979: Philip moved ahead. In 1978 they stood at #437 and #459; by 1979 that had become #425 and #297.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anthony #451, Philip #91.
New Zealand · Boys38 shared years, 1954–1992
Anthony held the stronger position in 38 of those years, Philip in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #11 in 1959, Philip #20 in 1963.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1992: Anthony #40, Philip #95.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys36 shared years, 1952–1988
Anthony held the stronger position in 36 of those years, Philip in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #8 in 1968, Philip #29 in 1958.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1988: Anthony #27, Philip #98.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anthony held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Philip in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #65 in 1996, Philip #103 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anthony #216, Philip #461.
Northern Ireland · Boys26 shared years, 1997–2022
Anthony held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Philip in 4.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #70 in 1997, Philip #51 in 1997.
The order changed in 2002: Anthony moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #103 and #80; by 2002 that had become #90 and #96.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Anthony #147, Philip #311.
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 | Philip |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #135 (2025) | Norway · Boys #91 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Anthony has a recorded origin (Etruscan (unknown origin)); Philip does not have one recorded yet.
- Anthony has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Philip.
- A meaning is recorded for Anthony; Philip doesn't have one written yet.
- 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
Philip
Popularity journey
First recorded1948
First recorded at #341 among boys in Norway in 1948 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1992
Highest recorded position: #20 among boys in New Zealand, in 1963 (recorded 1954–1992).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #91 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys