Olive vs Shannon
Olive and Shannoncompared 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 · Girls
In 2024, Olive was ranked #53 and Shannon #1743 among girls in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Olive was ranked #119 and Shannon #407 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Olive was ranked #247 and Shannon #885 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Olive and Shannon over time
Olive and Shannon appear together in 3 published lists, across 82 years of shared records. Shannon held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Olive 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.
Shannon reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Olive 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 2021, Olive moved ahead of Shannon in Northern Ireland · Girls — #397 and #281 the year before became #190 and #446.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Olive and Shannon changed places 4 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1974 and 2025, ending at #247 and #885.
- Longest-running competitions
Olive and Shannon were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 42 years, from 1974 to 2025, ending at #247 and #885.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls42 shared years, 1974–2025
Olive held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Shannon in 26.
Highest recorded here: Olive #88 in 1976, Shannon #11 in 1995.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Olive #247, Shannon #885.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Olive held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Shannon in 15.
Highest recorded here: Olive #53 in 2024, Shannon #11 in 1996.
The order changed in 2011: Olive moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #337 and #241; by 2011 that had become #343 and #348.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Olive #53, Shannon #1743.
Northern Ireland · Girls11 shared years, 2013–2024
Olive held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Shannon in 6.
Highest recorded here: Olive #119 in 2024, Shannon #150 in 2013.
The order changed in 2021: Olive moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #397 and #281; by 2021 that had become #190 and #446.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Olive #119, Shannon #407.
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 | Olive | Shannon |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #68 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #885 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Olive has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Shannon.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Olive
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #72 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded2010–2023
Highest recorded position: #21 among girls in New Zealand, in 2022 (recorded 2010–2023).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #68 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Shannon
Popularity journey
First recorded1973
First recorded at #69 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1973 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 1997 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #885 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls