Anthony vs Shaun
Anthony and Shauncompared 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 1997, Anthony was ranked #41 and Shaun #96 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1999, Anthony was ranked #60 and Shaun #92 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Anthony was ranked #135 and Shaun #577 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #152 and Shaun #727 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2017, Anthony was ranked #194 and Shaun #318 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #216 and Shaun #1162 among boys in England and Wales.
Anthony and Shaun over time
Anthony and Shaun appear together in 5 published lists, across 174 years of shared records. Anthony held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Shaun in 0.
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 Shaun 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 Shaun changed places 6 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1967 and 1999, ending at #60 and #92.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 33 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Anthony and Shaun averaged 45.2 places apart, ending at #41 and #96.
- Longest-running competitions
Anthony and Shaun were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 33 years, from 1965 to 1997, ending at #41 and #96.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Anthony #65 in 1996, Shaun #76 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys59 shared years, 1966–2025
Anthony held the stronger position in 59 of those years, Shaun in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #12 in 1966, Shaun #81 in 1993.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anthony #135, Shaun #577.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys33 shared years, 1965–1997
Anthony held the stronger position in 33 of those years, Shaun in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #8 in 1968, Shaun #38 in 1981.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1997: Anthony #41, Shaun #96.
New Zealand · Boys33 shared years, 1967–1999
Anthony held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Shaun in 7.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #16 in 1969, Shaun #34 in 1988.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1999: Anthony #60, Shaun #92.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anthony held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Shaun in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #65 in 1996, Shaun #76 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anthony #216, Shaun #1162.
Northern Ireland · Boys20 shared years, 1997–2017
Anthony held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Shaun in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #70 in 1997, Shaun #121 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2017: Anthony #194, Shaun #318.
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 | Shaun |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 1 |
| 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, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #135 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #577 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| 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 has a recorded origin (Etruscan (unknown origin)); Shaun does not have one recorded yet.
- Anthony has 3 syllables, compared with 1 for Shaun.
- A meaning is recorded for Anthony; Shaun doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, 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
Shaun
Popularity journey
First recorded1965
First recorded at #84 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1967–1999
Highest recorded position: #34 among boys in New Zealand, in 1988 (recorded 1967–1999).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #577 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys