Namewise

Conor vs Shane

Conor 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, Conor was ranked #16 and Shane #152 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Conor was ranked #51 and Shane #216 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 1996, Conor was ranked #98 and Shane #89 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Conor was ranked #181 and Shane #478 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Conor was ranked #578 and Shane #1153 among boys in England and Wales.

Conor and Shane over time

Conor and Shane appear together in 3 published lists, across 120 years of shared records. Conor held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Shane in 0.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

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

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Conor and Shane changed places 4 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2025, ending at #578 and #1153.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 62 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Conor and Shane averaged 31.7 places apart, ending at #16 and #152.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 62 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Conor rose about as far as Shane fell — from #56 and #75 in 1964 to #16 and #152 in 2025.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Conor and Shane were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #578 and #1153.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Conor #57 in 1998, Shane #74 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Conor held the stronger position in 39 of those years, Shane in 23.

    Highest recorded here: Conor #1 in 1995, Shane #3 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Conor #16, Shane #152.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Conor held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Shane in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Conor #57 in 1998, Shane #74 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Conor #578, Shane #1153.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Conor held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Shane in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Conor #4 in 1997, Shane #41 in 2002.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Conor #51, 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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Conor

Pairs where Conor shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Shane

Pairs where Shane shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — peaked in the same years.

All peaked in the same years→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Republic of Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Republic of Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Conor, Shane
FieldConorShane
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningThe Anglicized form of Conchobar (Modern Irish Conchúr), from the elements 'cú' ('dog, hound') and 'cobar'.An 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.
OriginIrishHebrew, via Irish Seán
Pronunciation/ˈkɑn.əɹ//ˈʃeɪn/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedSeán, Sean, Shaun, Shawn
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #16 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #152 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • Conor is recorded with a Irish origin, while Shane is recorded with a Hebrew, via Irish Seán origin.
  • Conor and Shane both have 2 syllables.
  • Conor's recorded meaning differs from Shane's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Conor 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

Conor

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #56 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1995 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #578 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · 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 #1153 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys