Anthony vs Rafael
Anthony and Rafaelcompared 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 Rafael #329 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Anthony was ranked #147 and Rafael #234 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #152 and Rafael #619 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #216 and Rafael #215 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Anthony was ranked #451 and Rafael #328 among boys in Norway.
Anthony and Rafael over time
Anthony and Rafael appear together in 3 published lists, across 91 years of shared records. Anthony held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Rafael in 1.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Anthony reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Rafael 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Anthony and Rafael changed places 16 times in Norway · Boys between 1963 and 2025, ending at #451 and #328.
- Longest-running competitions
Anthony and Rafael were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 41 years, from 1963 to 2025, ending at #451 and #328.
List by list
Norway · Boys41 shared years, 1963–2025
Anthony held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Rafael in 24.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #328 in 2006, Rafael #253 in 2019.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anthony #451, Rafael #328.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anthony held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Rafael in 2.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #65 in 1996, Rafael #181 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anthony #216, Rafael #215.
Republic of Ireland · Boys21 shared years, 2005–2025
Anthony held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Rafael in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #70 in 2006, Rafael #306 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anthony #135, Rafael #329.
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 | Rafael |
|---|---|---|
| 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, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #135 (2025) | Norway · Boys #328 (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)); Rafael does not have one recorded yet.
- Anthony has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Rafael.
- A meaning is recorded for Anthony; Rafael doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.
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
Rafael
Popularity journey
First recorded1963
First recorded at #445 among boys in Norway in 1963 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #181 among boys in England and Wales, in 2022 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #328 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys