Finlay vs Shea
Finlay 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.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Finlay was ranked #11 and Shea #619 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Finlay was ranked #136 and Shea #51 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Finlay was ranked #372 and Shea #125 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Finlay was ranked #181 and Shea #1322 among boys in England and Wales.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2018, Finlay was ranked #4684 and Shea #2901 among girls in England and Wales.
Finlay and Shea over time
Finlay and Shea appear together in 4 published lists, across 95 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
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.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Finlay #752 in 1999, Shea #1728 in 2001.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Finlay held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Shea in 0.
Highest recorded here: Finlay #57 in 2005, Shea #308 in 1999.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Finlay #181, Shea #1322.
Northern Ireland · Boys24 shared years, 2001–2024
Finlay held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Shea in 24.
Highest recorded here: Finlay #102 in 2013, Shea #25 in 2007.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Finlay #136, Shea #51.
Republic of Ireland · Boys24 shared years, 2002–2025
Finlay held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Shea in 23.
Highest recorded here: Finlay #244 in 2004, Shea #125 in 2025.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Finlay #372, Shea #125.
England and Wales · Girls18 shared years, 1996–2018
Finlay held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Shea in 6.
Highest recorded here: Finlay #752 in 1999, Shea #1728 in 2001.
The order changed in 2009: Shea moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #3005 and #3860; by 2009 that had become #4564 and #2148.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Finlay #4684, Shea #2901.
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 | Finlay | 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 #372 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #125 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Shea has a recorded origin (Irish); Finlay does not have one recorded yet.
- Finlay has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Shea.
- A meaning is recorded for Shea; Finlay doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
- The available evidence gives Finlay 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
Finlay
Popularity journey
First recorded1996
First recorded at #1646 among girls in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Girls
Highest recorded2024–2024
Highest recorded position: #11 among boys in Scotland, in 2024 (recorded 2024–2024).
Scotland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #372 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