Anthony vs Shane
Anthony and Shanecompared 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 1996, Anthony was ranked #33 and Shane #83 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1998, Anthony was ranked #60 and Shane #90 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Anthony was ranked #135 and Shane #152 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #152 and Shane #478 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #202 and Shane #216 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #216 and Shane #857 among boys in England and Wales.
Anthony and Shane over time
Anthony and Shane appear together in 5 published lists, across 205 years of shared records. Shane held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Anthony in 2.
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 4 of those lists, and Shane 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 2022, Anthony moved ahead of Shane in Northern Ireland · Boys — #192 and #166 the year before became #147 and #177.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Anthony and Shane changed places 4 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1954 and 1996, ending at #33 and #83.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 43 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Anthony and Shane averaged 21.1 places apart, ending at #33 and #83.
- Longest-running competitions
Anthony and Shane were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 43 years, from 1954 to 1996, ending at #33 and #83.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Anthony #65 in 1996, Shane #74 in 1996.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #65 and #74 in England and Wales · Boys, 9 places apart; by 2024 they were #216 and #857.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Anthony held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Shane in 40.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #12 in 1964, Shane #3 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anthony #135, Shane #152.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys43 shared years, 1954–1996
Anthony held the stronger position in 41 of those years, Shane in 2.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #8 in 1968, Shane #15 in 1971.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1996: Anthony #33, Shane #83.
New Zealand · Boys43 shared years, 1955–1998
Anthony held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Shane in 22.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #11 in 1959, Shane #12 in 1968.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1998: Anthony #60, Shane #90.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anthony held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Shane in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #65 in 1996, Shane #74 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anthony #216, Shane #857.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Anthony held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Shane in 21.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #70 in 1997, Shane #41 in 2002.
The order changed in 2022: Anthony moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #192 and #166; by 2022 that had become #147 and #177.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anthony #202, Shane #216.
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 | Shane |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Seán, ultimately from Hebrew elements meaning 'Yahweh' and 'gracious' — the same root tradition as John. Popularised in America by the 1953 western film Shane. |
| Origin | Etruscan (unknown origin) | Hebrew, via Irish Seán |
| Pronunciation | /ˈæn.θə.ni/ | /ˈʃeɪn/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Seán, Sean, Shaun, Shawn |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #135 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #152 (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 | high |
What the data shows
- Anthony is recorded with a Etruscan (unknown origin) origin, while Shane is recorded with a Hebrew, via Irish Seán origin.
- Anthony has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Shane.
- Anthony's recorded meaning differs from Shane's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Anthony a "medium" Data Confidence level and Shane a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
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
Shane
Popularity journey
First recorded1954
First recorded at #72 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1954 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1996 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #152 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys