Namewise

Craig vs Shane

Craig 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.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 1991, Craig was ranked #97 and Shane #60 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 1992, Craig was ranked #90 and Shane #64 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2023, Craig was ranked #516 and Shane #107 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2015, Craig was ranked #415 and Shane #133 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

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

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Craig was ranked #2263 and Shane #857 among boys in England and Wales.

Craig and Shane over time

Craig and Shane appear together in 5 published lists, across 181 years of shared records. Shane held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Craig in 2.

The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Craig reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 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.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1981, Shane moved ahead of Craig in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #24 and #26 the year before became #29 and #28.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Craig and Shane changed places 5 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1954 and 1991, ending at #97 and #60.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 38 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Craig and Shane averaged 12.6 places apart, ending at #97 and #60.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Craig and Shane were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 38 years, from 1954 to 1991, ending at #97 and #60.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Craig #81 in 1996, Shane #74 in 1996.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1996 they stood at #81 and #74 in England and Wales · Boys, 7 places apart; by 2024 they were #2263 and #857.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys59 shared years, 1964–2023

    Craig held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Shane in 59.

    Highest recorded here: Craig #39 in 1990, Shane #3 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Craig #516, Shane #107.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys38 shared years, 1954–1991

    Craig held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Shane in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Craig #8 in 1969, Shane #15 in 1971.

    The order changed in 1981: Shane moved ahead. In 1980 they stood at #24 and #26; by 1981 that had become #29 and #28.

    Most recent shared year, 1991: Craig #97, Shane #60.

  • New Zealand · Boys38 shared years, 1955–1992

    Craig held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Shane in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Craig #6 in 1971, Shane #12 in 1968.

    The order changed in 1984: Shane moved ahead. In 1983 they stood at #31 and #34; by 1984 that had become #36 and #35.

    Most recent shared year, 1992: Craig #90, Shane #64.

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024

    Craig held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Shane in 29.

    Highest recorded here: Craig #81 in 1996, Shane #74 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Craig #2263, Shane #857.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys17 shared years, 1997–2015

    Craig held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Shane in 17.

    Highest recorded here: Craig #68 in 1997, Shane #41 in 2002.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2015: Craig #415, Shane #133.

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 Craig

Pairs where Craig 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 — started together, ended far apart.

All started together, ended far apart→

Other pairs from England and Wales lists

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

England and Wales 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 Craig, Shane
FieldCraigShane
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningFrom the Scottish surname derived from Gaelic 'creag', meaning 'crag, rocks, outcrop' — originally denoting someone who lived near a crag.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.
OriginScottish Gaelic (surname origin)Hebrew, via Irish Seán
Pronunciation/ˈkɹeɪɡ//ˈʃeɪn/
Syllables12
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedSeán, Sean, Shaun, Shawn
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationScotland · Boys #478 (2024)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

  • Craig is recorded with a Scottish Gaelic (surname origin) origin, while Shane is recorded with a Hebrew, via Irish Seán origin.
  • Craig has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Shane.
  • Craig's recorded meaning differs from Shane's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Craig 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

Craig

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1953

    First recorded at #79 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1953 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1954–1992

    Highest recorded position: #6 among boys in New Zealand, in 1971 (recorded 1954–1992).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #2263 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.

    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 #152 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys