Freddie vs Shea
Freddie 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.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Freddie was ranked #13 and Shea #1322 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Freddie was ranked #17 and Shea #51 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Freddie was ranked #25 and Shea #619 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Freddie was ranked #52 and Shea #125 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Freddie was ranked #3318 and Shea #3015 among girls in England and Wales.
Freddie and Shea over time
Freddie and Shea appear together in 4 published lists, across 82 years of shared records. Freddie held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Shea in 1.
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.
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 took the other's place near the top
In Northern Ireland · Boys, Freddie moved into the top 50 at #17 in 2024 as Shea fell out of it to #51, having been #32 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2024, Freddie moved ahead of Shea in Northern Ireland · Boys — #38 and #32 the year before became #17 and #51.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Freddie and Shea changed places 5 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2024, ending at #3318 and #3015.
- Mirrored each other
Over 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Freddie rose about as far as Shea fell — from #290 and #755 in 1996 to #13 and #1322 in 2024.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Freddie #51 in 2024, Shea #125 in 2025.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Freddie held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Shea in 0.
Highest recorded here: Freddie #10 in 2022, Shea #308 in 1999.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Freddie #13, Shea #1322.
Republic of Ireland · Boys22 shared years, 2003–2025
Freddie held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Shea in 8.
Highest recorded here: Freddie #51 in 2024, Shea #125 in 2025.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Freddie #52, Shea #125.
Northern Ireland · Boys20 shared years, 2005–2024
Freddie held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Shea in 12.
Highest recorded here: Freddie #15 in 2021, Shea #25 in 2007.
The order changed in 2024: Freddie moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #38 and #32; by 2024 that had become #17 and #51.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Freddie #17, Shea #51.
England and Wales · Girls11 shared years, 1996–2024
Freddie held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Shea in 5.
Highest recorded here: Freddie #2350 in 1996, Shea #2148 in 2009.
The order changed in 2024: Shea moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #4056 and #5687; by 2024 that had become #3318 and #3015.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Freddie #3318, Shea #3015.
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 | Freddie | Shea |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Peaceful ruler. | The Anglicized form of Séaghdha, occasionally used as a feminine name as well. |
| Origin | Germanic, via Frederick | Irish |
| Pronunciation | /ˈfɹɛdi/ | /ˈʃeɪ/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Freddy, Frederick | Sé, Séaghdha, Shay |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #52 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #125 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | high |
What the data shows
- Freddie is recorded with a Germanic, via Frederick origin, while Shea is recorded with a Irish origin.
- Freddie has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Shea.
- Freddie'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.
How each name got here
Freddie
Popularity journey
First recorded1996
First recorded at #2350 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 recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in England and Wales, in 2022 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #52 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