Gregory vs Shane
Gregory and Shanecompared 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.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1988, Gregory was ranked #76 and Shane #39 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1990, Gregory was ranked #95 and Shane #44 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2012, Gregory was ranked #403 and Shane #109 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Gregory was ranked #829 and Shane #152 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Gregory was ranked #727 and Shane #478 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Gregory was ranked #1460 and Shane #857 among boys in England and Wales.
Gregory and Shane over time
Gregory and Shane appear together in 4 published lists, across 160 years of shared records. Shane held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Gregory in 0.
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.
Gregory reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Shane 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1970, Shane moved ahead of Gregory in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #19 and #20 the year before became #20 and #19.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 37 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Gregory and Shane averaged 24.0 places apart, ending at #95 and #44.
- Longest-running competitions
Gregory and Shane were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 37 years, from 1954 to 1990, ending at #95 and #44.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Gregory #117 in 1997, Shane #74 in 1996.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1964 they stood at #78 and #75 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 3 places apart; by 2025 they were #829 and #152.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys60 shared years, 1964–2025
Gregory held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Shane in 60.
Highest recorded here: Gregory #72 in 1967, Shane #3 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Gregory #829, Shane #152.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys37 shared years, 1954–1990
Gregory held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Shane in 21.
Highest recorded here: Gregory #7 in 1954, Shane #15 in 1971.
The order changed in 1970: Shane moved ahead. In 1969 they stood at #19 and #20; by 1970 that had become #20 and #19.
Most recent shared year, 1990: Gregory #95, Shane #44.
New Zealand · Boys34 shared years, 1955–1988
Gregory held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Shane in 24.
Highest recorded here: Gregory #16 in 1960, Shane #12 in 1968.
The order changed in 1965: Shane moved ahead. In 1964 they stood at #17 and #20; by 1965 that had become #20 and #18.
Most recent shared year, 1988: Gregory #76, Shane #39.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Gregory held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Shane in 28.
Highest recorded here: Gregory #117 in 1997, Shane #74 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Gregory #1460, Shane #857.
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 | Gregory | Shane |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | From Latin Gregorius, from Late Greek Gregorios, from 'gregoros' ('watchful, alert'), itself from 'egeiro' ('to awaken'). Borne by Saint Gregory the Illuminator and Pope Gregory I the Great. | An Anglicized form of Seán, ultimately from Hebrew elements meaning 'Yahweh' and 'gracious' — the same root tradition as John. Popularised in America by the 1953 western film Shane. |
| Origin | From Late Greek 'gregoros' ('watchful, alert'), via the Latin Gregorius | Hebrew, via Irish Seán |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɡɹɛɡ.ə.ɹi/ | /ˈʃeɪn/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Seán, Sean, Shaun, Shawn |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #829 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #152 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Gregory is recorded with a From Late Greek 'gregoros' ('watchful, alert'), via the Latin Gregorius origin, while Shane is recorded with a Hebrew, via Irish Seán origin.
- Gregory has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Shane.
- Gregory's recorded meaning differs from Shane's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Gregory a "medium" Data Confidence level and Shane a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Gregory
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #9 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1952–1990
Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1954 (recorded 1952–1990).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Shane
Popularity journey
First recorded1954
First recorded at #72 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1954 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1996 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #152 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys