Darragh vs Shea
Darragh and Sheacompared 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, Darragh was ranked #19 and Shea #125 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Darragh was ranked #51 and Shea #51 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Darragh was ranked #218 and Shea #619 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Darragh was ranked #1402 and Shea #1322 among boys in England and Wales.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2021, Darragh was ranked #5581 and Shea #4634 among girls in England and Wales.
Darragh and Shea over time
Darragh and Shea appear together in 3 published lists, across 88 years of shared records. Shea held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Darragh in 1.
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.
Darragh reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Shea 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
Darragh and Shea changed places 5 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2024, ending at #1402 and #1322.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Boys, Darragh and Shea averaged 13.0 places apart, ending at #51 and #51.
- Longest-running competitions
Darragh and Shea were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 31 years, from 1976 to 2025, ending at #19 and #125.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Darragh #522 in 1997, Shea #308 in 1999.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys31 shared years, 1976–2025
Darragh held the stronger position in 31 of those years, Shea in 0.
Highest recorded here: Darragh #11 in 2019, Shea #125 in 2025.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Darragh #19, Shea #125.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Darragh held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Shea in 24.
Highest recorded here: Darragh #522 in 1997, Shea #308 in 1999.
The order changed in 2024: Shea moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #987 and #1363; by 2024 that had become #1402 and #1322.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Darragh #1402, Shea #1322.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Darragh held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Shea in 16.
Highest recorded here: Darragh #20 in 2021, Shea #25 in 2007.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Darragh #51, Shea #51.
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 | Darragh | Shea |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | The Anglicized form of Séaghdha, occasionally used as a feminine name as well. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Irish |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈʃeɪ/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Sé, Séaghdha, Shay |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #19 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #125 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 74/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Shea has a recorded origin (Irish); Darragh does not have one recorded yet.
- Darragh has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Shea.
- A meaning is recorded for Shea; Darragh doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
- The available evidence gives Darragh a "medium" Data Confidence level and Shea a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Darragh
Popularity journey
First recorded1965
First recorded at #222 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1965–2025
Highest recorded position: #11 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2019 (recorded 1965–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #19 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Shea
Popularity journey
First recorded1976
First recorded at #316 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1976 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #25 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2007 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #125 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys