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Anthony vs Shane

Anthony and Shane compared 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 2025, Anthony was ranked #239 and Shane #1153 among boys in England and Wales.

Anthony and Shane over time

Republic of Ireland · Boys
#3#10#30#10019642025Anthony #135Shane #1521964: Anthony #12, Shane #751965: Anthony #12, Shane #651966: Anthony #12, Shane #711967: Anthony #13, Shane #711968: Anthony #14, Shane #531969: Anthony #13, Shane #551970: Anthony #14, Shane #421971: Anthony #15, Shane #481972: Anthony #14, Shane #311973: Anthony #15, Shane #251974: Anthony #14, Shane #231975: Anthony #15, Shane #221976: Anthony #14, Shane #151977: Anthony #12, Shane #171978: Anthony #15, Shane #181979: Anthony #15, Shane #181980: Anthony #18, Shane #151981: Anthony #17, Shane #141982: Anthony #16, Shane #141983: Anthony #20, Shane #121984: Anthony #19, Shane #131985: Anthony #20, Shane #111986: Anthony #22, Shane #91987: Anthony #22, Shane #81988: Anthony #23, Shane #51989: Anthony #27, Shane #71990: Anthony #26, Shane #61991: Anthony #29, Shane #61992: Anthony #26, Shane #71993: Anthony #37, Shane #51994: Anthony #39, Shane #61995: Anthony #47, Shane #61996: Anthony #43, Shane #31997: Anthony #50, Shane #61998: Anthony #54, Shane #111999: Anthony #52, Shane #112000: Anthony #58, Shane #132001: Anthony #56, Shane #132002: Anthony #64, Shane #212003: Anthony #68, Shane #212004: Anthony #80, Shane #192005: Anthony #75, Shane #232006: Anthony #70, Shane #242007: Anthony #71, Shane #252008: Anthony #80, Shane #282009: Anthony #80, Shane #302010: Anthony #86, Shane #332011: Anthony #83, Shane #432012: Anthony #99, Shane #472013: Anthony #79, Shane #552014: Anthony #89, Shane #582015: Anthony #83, Shane #712016: Anthony #86, Shane #642017: Anthony #81, Shane #842018: Anthony #98, Shane #922019: Anthony #94, Shane #1112020: Anthony #93, Shane #872021: Anthony #121, Shane #882022: Anthony #90, Shane #1302023: Anthony #103, Shane #1072024: Anthony #102, Shane #1502025: Anthony #135, Shane #152

Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.

New South Wales, Australia · Boys
#10#3019541996Anthony #33Shane #831954: Anthony #14, Shane #721955: Anthony #13, Shane #631956: Anthony #12, Shane #611957: Anthony #10, Shane #541958: Anthony #11, Shane #551959: Anthony #10, Shane #471960: Anthony #10, Shane #441961: Anthony #10, Shane #471962: Anthony #10, Shane #421963: Anthony #10, Shane #331964: Anthony #10, Shane #321965: Anthony #10, Shane #301966: Anthony #11, Shane #271967: Anthony #9, Shane #251968: Anthony #8, Shane #301969: Anthony #11, Shane #201970: Anthony #9, Shane #191971: Anthony #13, Shane #151972: Anthony #15, Shane #161973: Anthony #17, Shane #161974: Anthony #16, Shane #171975: Anthony #16, Shane #191976: Anthony #16, Shane #231977: Anthony #21, Shane #221978: Anthony #21, Shane #191979: Anthony #20, Shane #211980: Anthony #19, Shane #261981: Anthony #22, Shane #281982: Anthony #24, Shane #281983: Anthony #24, Shane #261984: Anthony #25, Shane #321985: Anthony #28, Shane #331986: Anthony #26, Shane #371987: Anthony #24, Shane #391988: Anthony #27, Shane #351989: Anthony #24, Shane #431990: Anthony #29, Shane #441991: Anthony #24, Shane #601992: Anthony #30, Shane #641993: Anthony #30, Shane #681994: Anthony #33, Shane #771995: Anthony #30, Shane #931996: Anthony #33, Shane #83

Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.

Anthony and Shane over time

Anthony and Shane appear together in 5 published lists, across 206 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 England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #239 and #1153.

  • 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 2025 they were #239 and #1153.

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 · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Anthony held the stronger position in 30 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, 2025: Anthony #239, Shane #1153.

  • 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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Anthony

Pairs where Anthony shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Shane

Pairs where Shane shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — started together, ended far apart.

All started together, ended far apart →

Other pairs from England and Wales lists

Pairs measured inside England and Wales's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

England and Wales overview →

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars →

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Anthony, Shane
FieldAnthonyShane
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningThe 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.
OriginEtruscan (unknown origin)Hebrew, via Irish Seán
Pronunciation/ˈæn.θə.ni//ˈʃeɪn/
Syllables32
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedSeán, Sean, Shaun, Shawn
Recorded regional usageNew South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Norway, New ZealandNew South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, New Zealand
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #135 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #152 (2025)
Data Confidencemediumhigh

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

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1952–2021

    Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1968 (recorded 1952–2021).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #239 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Shane

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1996 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1153 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys