Namewise

David vs Shea

David 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, David was ranked #45 and Shea #125 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, David was ranked #104 and Shea #51 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, David was ranked #71 and Shea #619 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, David was ranked #73 and Shea #1197 among boys in England and Wales.

David and Shea over time

David and Shea appear together in 3 published lists, across 89 years of shared records. David held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Shea 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.

David reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Shea 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.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys31 shared years, 1976–2025

    David held the stronger position in 31 of those years, Shea in 0.

    Highest recorded here: David #2 in 1976, Shea #125 in 2025.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: David #45, Shea #125.

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

    David held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Shea in 0.

    Highest recorded here: David #32 in 1996, Shea #308 in 1999.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: David #73, Shea #1197.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    David held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Shea in 19.

    Highest recorded here: David #9 in 1997, Shea #25 in 2007.

    The order changed in 2012: Shea moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #48 and #55; by 2012 that had become #53 and #33.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: David #104, 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.

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 David

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

Other comparisons involving Shea

Pairs where Shea 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 — one took the other's place near the top.

All one took the other's place near the top→

Other pairs from Northern Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Northern 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.

Northern 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 David, Shea
FieldDavidShea
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningCommonly interpreted as 'beloved', with a possible secondary sense of 'uncle' for the root.The Anglicized form of Séaghdha, occasionally used as a feminine name as well.
OriginBiblical HebrewIrish
Pronunciation/ˈdeɪvɪd//ˈʃeɪ/
Syllables21
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedSé, Séaghdha, Shay
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #45 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #125 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • David is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Shea is recorded with a Irish origin.
  • David has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Shea.
  • David's recorded meaning differs from Shea's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
  • The available evidence gives David 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

David

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #167 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1952–2018

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1961 (recorded 1952–2018).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #73 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Shea

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1997–2024

    Highest recorded position: #25 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2007 (recorded 1997–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1197 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys