Edward vs Shaun
Edward and Shauncompared 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.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Edward was ranked #31 and Shaun #1162 among boys in England and Wales.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1998, Edward was ranked #99 and Shaun #66 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1997, Edward was ranked #85 and Shaun #96 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Edward was ranked #125 and Shaun #577 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2017, Edward was ranked #132 and Shaun #318 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Edward was ranked #181 and Shaun #727 among boys in Scotland.
Edward and Shaun over time
Edward and Shaun appear together in 5 published lists, across 172 years of shared records. Edward held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Shaun in 2.
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.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 2 of the lists they share.
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 1973, Shaun moved ahead of Edward in New Zealand · Boys — #62 and #64 the year before became #69 and #45.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Edward and Shaun changed places 4 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1965 and 1997, ending at #85 and #96.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 33 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Edward and Shaun averaged 19.1 places apart, ending at #85 and #96.
- Longest-running competitions
Edward and Shaun were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 33 years, from 1965 to 1997, ending at #85 and #96.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Edward #104 in 1997, Shaun #121 in 1997.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys59 shared years, 1966–2025
Edward held the stronger position in 59 of those years, Shaun in 0.
Highest recorded here: Edward #17 in 1966, Shaun #81 in 1993.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Edward #125, Shaun #577.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys33 shared years, 1965–1997
Edward held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Shaun in 25.
Highest recorded here: Edward #68 in 1992, Shaun #38 in 1981.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1997: Edward #85, Shaun #96.
New Zealand · Boys31 shared years, 1967–1998
Edward held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Shaun in 27.
Highest recorded here: Edward #56 in 1984, Shaun #34 in 1988.
The order changed in 1973: Shaun moved ahead. In 1972 they stood at #62 and #64; by 1973 that had become #69 and #45.
Most recent shared year, 1998: Edward #99, Shaun #66.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Edward held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Shaun in 0.
Highest recorded here: Edward #23 in 2016, Shaun #76 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Edward #31, Shaun #1162.
Northern Ireland · Boys20 shared years, 1997–2017
Edward held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Shaun in 1.
Highest recorded here: Edward #104 in 1997, Shaun #121 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2017: Edward #132, Shaun #318.
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 | Edward | Shaun |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #75 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #577 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Edward has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Shaun.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Edward
Popularity journey
First recorded1950
First recorded at #324 among boys in Norway in 1950 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #17 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1965 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #75 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Shaun
Popularity journey
First recorded1965
First recorded at #84 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1967–1999
Highest recorded position: #34 among boys in New Zealand, in 1988 (recorded 1967–1999).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #577 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys