Anthony vs Steven
Anthony and Stevencompared 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 2000, Anthony was ranked #37 and Steven #84 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1997, Anthony was ranked #61 and Steven #77 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Anthony was ranked #135 and Steven #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Anthony was ranked #147 and Steven #414 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #152 and Steven #307 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #216 and Steven #800 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2017, Anthony was ranked #418 and Steven #487 among boys in Norway.
Anthony and Steven over time
Anthony and Steven appear together in 6 published lists, across 261 years of shared records. Anthony held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Steven 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 4 of those lists, Steven in 1. 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 2002, Anthony moved ahead of Steven in Northern Ireland · Boys — #103 and #103 the year before became #90 and #109.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Anthony and Steven changed places 4 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1952 and 2000, ending at #37 and #84.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 49 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Anthony and Steven averaged 10.6 places apart, ending at #37 and #84.
- Longest-running competitions
Anthony and Steven were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 49 years, from 1952 to 2000, ending at #37 and #84.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Anthony #65 in 1996, Steven #73 in 1996.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #65 and #73 in England and Wales · Boys, 8 places apart; by 2024 they were #216 and #800.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys61 shared years, 1964–2025
Anthony held the stronger position in 61 of those years, Steven in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #12 in 1964, Steven #57 in 1990.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anthony #135, Steven #829.
Norway · Boys54 shared years, 1946–2017
Anthony held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Steven in 33.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #318 in 1954, Steven #224 in 1983.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2017: Anthony #418, Steven #487.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys49 shared years, 1952–2000
Anthony held the stronger position in 41 of those years, Steven in 8.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #8 in 1968, Steven #12 in 1961.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2000: Anthony #37, Steven #84.
New Zealand · Boys44 shared years, 1954–1997
Anthony held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Steven in 22.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #11 in 1959, Steven #15 in 1967.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1997: Anthony #61, Steven #77.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anthony held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Steven in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #65 in 1996, Steven #73 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anthony #216, Steven #800.
Northern Ireland · Boys24 shared years, 1997–2022
Anthony held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Steven in 3.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #70 in 1997, Steven #54 in 1998.
The order changed in 2002: Anthony moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #103 and #103; by 2002 that had become #90 and #109.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Anthony #147, Steven #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 | Steven |
|---|---|---|
| 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, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #135 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #829 (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)); Steven does not have one recorded yet.
- Anthony has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Steven.
- A meaning is recorded for Anthony; Steven doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, 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
Steven
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #363 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2000
Highest recorded position: #12 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1961 (recorded 1952–2000).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys