Anthony vs Wayne
Anthony and Wayne 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 1986, Anthony was ranked #26 and Wayne #85 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1984, Anthony was ranked #37 and Wayne #88 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2003, Anthony was ranked #81 and Wayne #299 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Anthony was ranked #135 and Wayne #676 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2025, Anthony was ranked #239 and Wayne #2664 among boys in England and Wales.
Anthony and Wayne over time
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.
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 Wayne over time
Anthony and Wayne appear together in 4 published lists, across 154 years of shared records. Anthony held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Wayne in 0.
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.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.
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 1969, Anthony moved ahead of Wayne in New Zealand · Boys — #20 and #14 the year before became #16 and #19.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Anthony and Wayne changed places 4 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1952 and 1986, ending at #26 and #85.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 35 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Anthony and Wayne averaged 18.3 places apart, ending at #26 and #85.
- Longest-running competitions
Anthony and Wayne were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #239 and #2664.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Anthony #65 in 1996, Wayne #296 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys59 shared years, 1964–2025
Anthony held the stronger position in 59 of those years, Wayne in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #12 in 1964, Wayne #59 in 1985.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anthony #135, Wayne #676.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys35 shared years, 1952–1986
Anthony held the stronger position in 31 of those years, Wayne in 4.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #8 in 1968, Wayne #10 in 1958.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1986: Anthony #26, Wayne #85.
England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025
Anthony held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Wayne in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #65 in 1996, Wayne #296 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anthony #239, Wayne #2664.
New Zealand · Boys30 shared years, 1954–1984
Anthony held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Wayne in 5.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #11 in 1959, Wayne #14 in 1959.
The order changed in 1969: Anthony moved ahead. In 1968 they stood at #20 and #14; by 1969 that had become #16 and #19.
Most recent shared year, 1984: Anthony #37, Wayne #88.
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 | Wayne |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | New South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Norway, New Zealand | New South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, New Zealand |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #135 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #676 (2025) |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Anthony has a recorded origin (Etruscan (unknown origin)); Wayne does not have one recorded yet.
- Anthony has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Wayne.
- A meaning is recorded for Anthony; Wayne doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, 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 #239 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys
Wayne
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #29 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 recorded1952–1986
Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1958 (recorded 1952–1986).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #2664 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys