Anthony vs Stanley
Anthony and Stanleycompared 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 1953, Anthony was ranked #14 and Stanley #96 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #216 and Stanley #102 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Anthony was ranked #135 and Stanley #577 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Anthony was ranked #147 and Stanley #414 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #152 and Stanley #478 among boys in Scotland.
Anthony and Stanley over time
Anthony and Stanley appear together in 3 published lists, across 68 years of shared records. Anthony held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Stanley in 1.
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 3 of those lists, and Stanley 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 2007, Stanley moved ahead of Anthony in England and Wales · Boys — #109 and #129 the year before became #122 and #114.
- Longest-running competitions
Anthony and Stanley were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 31 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #135 and #577.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys31 shared years, 1964–2025
Anthony held the stronger position in 31 of those years, Stanley in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #12 in 1964, Stanley #208 in 1967.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anthony #135, Stanley #577.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anthony held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Stanley in 18.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #65 in 1996, Stanley #59 in 2015.
The order changed in 2007: Stanley moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #109 and #129; by 2007 that had become #122 and #114.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anthony #216, Stanley #102.
Northern Ireland · Boys8 shared years, 2006–2022
Anthony held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Stanley in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #90 in 2006, Stanley #250 in 2017.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Anthony #147, Stanley #414.
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 | Stanley |
|---|---|---|
| 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/ | |
| 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 |
| 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 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Anthony has a recorded origin (Etruscan (unknown origin)); Stanley does not have one recorded yet.
- Anthony has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Stanley.
- A meaning is recorded for Anthony; Stanley doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
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
Stanley
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #95 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #59 among boys in England and Wales, in 2015 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #577 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys