Anthony vs William
Anthony and Williamcompared 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.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Anthony was ranked #451 and William #3 among boys in Norway.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2021, Anthony was ranked #99 and William #4 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2005, Anthony was ranked #75 and William #8 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #216 and William #27 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #202 and William #64 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #152 and William #66 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Anthony was ranked #135 and William #73 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Anthony and William over time
Anthony and William appear together in 6 published lists, across 305 years of shared records. William held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Anthony in 1.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Anthony reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and William 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 William changed places 4 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1952 and 2021, ending at #99 and #4.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 69 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Anthony and William averaged 30.4 places apart, ending at #99 and #4.
- Longest-running competitions
Anthony and William were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 69 years, from 1952 to 2021, ending at #99 and #4.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Anthony #70 in 1997, William #26 in 1997.
List by list
New South Wales, Australia · Boys69 shared years, 1952–2021
Anthony held the stronger position in 37 of those years, William in 32.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #8 in 1968, William #1 in 2009.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Anthony #99, William #4.
Norway · Boys65 shared years, 1946–2025
Anthony held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 65.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #298 in 1949, William #1 in 2012.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anthony #451, William #3.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Anthony held the stronger position in 12 of those years, William in 50.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #12 in 1964, William #8 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anthony #135, William #73.
New Zealand · Boys52 shared years, 1954–2005
Anthony held the stronger position in 20 of those years, William in 32.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #11 in 1959, William #8 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2005: Anthony #75, William #8.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anthony held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 29.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #65 in 1996, William #7 in 2006.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anthony #216, William #27.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Anthony held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 28.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #70 in 1997, William #26 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anthony #202, William #64.
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 | William |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| 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. | Commonly interpreted as 'resolute protector' or 'will helmet', combining the ideas of desire/will and protection. |
| Origin | Etruscan (unknown origin) | Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈæn.θə.ni/ | /ˈwɪljəm/ |
| 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) | Norway · Boys #3 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| 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 is recorded with a Etruscan (unknown origin) origin, while William is recorded with a Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm) origin.
- Anthony has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for William.
- Anthony's recorded meaning differs from William's — see the table above for each.
- 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
William
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #277 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2009 (recorded 1952–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #11 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys