Namewise

Keith vs Shane

Keith 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 1967, Keith was ranked #81 and Shane #14 among boys in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 1969, Keith was ranked #97 and Shane #20 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2010, Keith was ranked #339 and Shane #85 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Keith was ranked #577 and Shane #152 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Keith was ranked #5137 and Shane #1153 among boys in England and Wales.

Keith and Shane over time

Keith and Shane appear together in 5 published lists, across 130 years of shared records. Shane held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Keith 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.

Keith reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Shane 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.

  • One took the other's place near the top

    In New Zealand · Boys, Shane moved into the top 50 at #31 in 1962 as Keith fell out of it to #51, having been #45 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1958, Shane moved ahead of Keith in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #50 and #54 the year before became #58 and #55.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Keith and Shane changed places 4 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2025, ending at #577 and #152.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Keith and Shane were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #5137 and #1153.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Keith #379 in 1996, Shane #74 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys59 shared years, 1964–2025

    Keith held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Shane in 55.

    Highest recorded here: Keith #17 in 1975, Shane #3 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Keith #577, Shane #152.

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

    Keith held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Shane in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Keith #379 in 1996, Shane #74 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Keith #5137, Shane #1153.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys16 shared years, 1954–1969

    Keith held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Shane in 12.

    Highest recorded here: Keith #42 in 1956, Shane #20 in 1969.

    The order changed in 1958: Shane moved ahead. In 1957 they stood at #50 and #54; by 1958 that had become #58 and #55.

    Most recent shared year, 1969: Keith #97, Shane #20.

  • New Zealand · Boys13 shared years, 1955–1967

    Keith held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Shane in 6.

    Highest recorded here: Keith #34 in 1958, Shane #13 in 1966.

    The order changed in 1962: Shane moved ahead. In 1961 they stood at #45 and #47; by 1962 that had become #51 and #31.

    Most recent shared year, 1967: Keith #81, Shane #14.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys12 shared years, 1997–2010

    Keith held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Shane in 12.

    Highest recorded here: Keith #143 in 1997, Shane #41 in 2002.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2010: Keith #339, Shane #85.

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 Keith

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

Other comparisons involving Shane

Pairs where Shane 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 New Zealand lists

Pairs measured inside New Zealand's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New Zealand overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 1960s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1960 and 1969.

The 1960s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Keith, Shane
FieldKeithShane
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedAn 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.
OriginNot yet recordedHebrew, via Irish Seán
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˈʃeɪn/
Syllables12
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedSeán, Sean, Shaun, Shawn
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #577 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #152 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • Shane has a recorded origin (Hebrew, via Irish Seán); Keith does not have one recorded yet.
  • Keith has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Shane.
  • A meaning is recorded for Shane; Keith doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Keith 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

Keith

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #40 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

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #17 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1975 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #5137 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Shane

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1996 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1153 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys