Namewise

Conn vs Shane

Conn and Shanecompared 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.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Conn was ranked #165 and Shane #152 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Conn was ranked #202 and Shane #216 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2010, Conn was ranked #3865 and Shane #275 among boys in England and Wales.

Conn and Shane over time

Conn and Shane appear together in 2 published lists, across 68 years of shared records. Shane held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Conn 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.

Shane reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Conn 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.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Conn and Shane were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 44 years, from 1970 to 2025, ending at #165 and #152.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys44 shared years, 19702025

    Conn held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Shane in 43.

    Highest recorded here: Conn #150 in 2024, Shane #3 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Conn #165, Shane #152.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys24 shared years, 19972024

    Conn held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Shane in 23.

    Highest recorded here: Conn #173 in 2001, Shane #45 in 1997.

    The order changed in 2024: Conn moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #189 and #181; by 2024 that had become #202 and #216.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Conn #202, Shane #216.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Conn, Shane
FieldConnShane
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedAn Anglicized form of Seán, ultimately from Hebrew elements meaning 'Yahweh' and 'gracious' — the same root tradition as John. Popularised in America by the 1953 western film Shane.
OriginNot yet recordedHebrew, via Irish Seán
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˈʃeɪn/
Syllables12
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedSeán, Sean, Shaun, Shawn
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, IEAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #165 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #152 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • Shane has a recorded origin (Hebrew, via Irish Seán); Conn does not have one recorded yet.
  • Conn has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Shane.
  • A meaning is recorded for Shane; Conn doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
  • The available evidence gives Conn a "medium" Data Confidence level and Shane a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

Conn

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1970

    First recorded at #278 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1970 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1970–2025

    Highest recorded position: #150 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2024 (recorded 1970–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #165 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

Shane

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1954

    First recorded at #72 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1954 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1996 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #152 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys