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Patrick vs Shane

Patrick and Shane compared 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.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Patrick was ranked #25 and Shane #152 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Patrick was ranked #26 and Shane #216 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 1996, Patrick was ranked #36 and Shane #83 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 1998, Patrick was ranked #50 and Shane #90 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Patrick was ranked #125 and Shane #478 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Patrick was ranked #134 and Shane #1153 among boys in England and Wales.

Patrick and Shane over time

Republic of Ireland · Boys
#3#10#30#10019642025Patrick #25Shane #1521964: Patrick #2, Shane #751965: Patrick #2, Shane #651966: Patrick #3, Shane #711967: Patrick #3, Shane #711968: Patrick #2, Shane #531969: Patrick #2, Shane #551970: Patrick #3, Shane #421971: Patrick #3, Shane #481972: Patrick #3, Shane #311973: Patrick #3, Shane #251974: Patrick #3, Shane #231975: Patrick #4, Shane #221976: Patrick #4, Shane #151977: Patrick #4, Shane #171978: Patrick #5, Shane #181979: Patrick #5, Shane #181980: Patrick #5, Shane #151981: Patrick #4, Shane #141982: Patrick #4, Shane #141983: Patrick #5, Shane #121984: Patrick #4, Shane #131985: Patrick #6, Shane #111986: Patrick #5, Shane #91987: Patrick #6, Shane #81988: Patrick #7, Shane #51989: Patrick #5, Shane #71990: Patrick #7, Shane #61991: Patrick #8, Shane #61992: Patrick #8, Shane #71993: Patrick #8, Shane #51994: Patrick #9, Shane #61995: Patrick #9, Shane #61996: Patrick #13, Shane #31997: Patrick #11, Shane #61998: Patrick #17, Shane #111999: Patrick #18, Shane #112000: Patrick #16, Shane #132001: Patrick #17, Shane #132002: Patrick #13, Shane #212003: Patrick #19, Shane #212004: Patrick #24, Shane #192005: Patrick #18, Shane #232006: Patrick #19, Shane #242007: Patrick #19, Shane #252008: Patrick #18, Shane #282009: Patrick #19, Shane #302010: Patrick #18, Shane #332011: Patrick #21, Shane #432012: Patrick #21, Shane #472013: Patrick #16, Shane #552014: Patrick #19, Shane #582015: Patrick #16, Shane #712016: Patrick #18, Shane #642017: Patrick #17, Shane #842018: Patrick #18, Shane #922019: Patrick #20, Shane #1112020: Patrick #22, Shane #872021: Patrick #19, Shane #882022: Patrick #15, Shane #1302023: Patrick #19, Shane #1072024: Patrick #16, Shane #1502025: Patrick #25, Shane #152

Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.

New South Wales, Australia · Boys
#3019541996Patrick #36Shane #831954: Patrick #55, Shane #721955: Patrick #51, Shane #631956: Patrick #53, Shane #611957: Patrick #53, Shane #541958: Patrick #59, Shane #551959: Patrick #63, Shane #471960: Patrick #65, Shane #441961: Patrick #59, Shane #471962: Patrick #57, Shane #421963: Patrick #56, Shane #331964: Patrick #59, Shane #321965: Patrick #54, Shane #301966: Patrick #55, Shane #271967: Patrick #53, Shane #251968: Patrick #54, Shane #301969: Patrick #61, Shane #201970: Patrick #57, Shane #191971: Patrick #60, Shane #151972: Patrick #71, Shane #161973: Patrick #67, Shane #161974: Patrick #71, Shane #171975: Patrick #66, Shane #191976: Patrick #72, Shane #231977: Patrick #69, Shane #221978: Patrick #71, Shane #191979: Patrick #64, Shane #211980: Patrick #55, Shane #261981: Patrick #57, Shane #281982: Patrick #56, Shane #281983: Patrick #53, Shane #261984: Patrick #49, Shane #321985: Patrick #42, Shane #331986: Patrick #40, Shane #371987: Patrick #40, Shane #391988: Patrick #38, Shane #351989: Patrick #32, Shane #431990: Patrick #40, Shane #441991: Patrick #38, Shane #601992: Patrick #36, Shane #641993: Patrick #35, Shane #681994: Patrick #30, Shane #771995: Patrick #34, Shane #931996: Patrick #36, Shane #83

Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.

Patrick and Shane over time

Patrick and Shane appear together in 5 published lists, across 206 years of shared records. Patrick held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Shane in 2.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

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.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Patrick and Shane changed places 6 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2025, ending at #25 and #152.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 43 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Patrick and Shane averaged 27.4 places apart, ending at #36 and #83.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Patrick and Shane were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #134 and #1153.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Patrick #66 in 1996, Shane #74 in 1996.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1996 they stood at #66 and #74 in England and Wales · Boys, 8 places apart; by 2025 they were #134 and #1153.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Patrick held the stronger position in 48 of those years, Shane in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Patrick #2 in 1964, Shane #3 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Patrick #25, Shane #152.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys43 shared years, 1954–1996

    Patrick held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Shane in 31.

    Highest recorded here: Patrick #30 in 1994, Shane #15 in 1971.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1996: Patrick #36, Shane #83.

  • New Zealand · Boys43 shared years, 1955–1998

    Patrick held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Shane in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Patrick #45 in 1967, Shane #12 in 1968.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1998: Patrick #50, Shane #90.

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

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

    Highest recorded here: Patrick #66 in 1996, Shane #74 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Patrick #134, Shane #1153.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Patrick held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Shane in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Patrick #18 in 2003, Shane #41 in 2002.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Patrick #26, Shane #216.

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 Patrick

Pairs where Patrick 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 — started together, ended far apart.

All started together, ended far apart →

Other pairs from England and Wales lists

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

England and Wales overview →

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars →

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Patrick, Shane
FieldPatrickShane
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningFrom Latin Patricius, meaning 'nobleman, patrician'. Adopted by Saint Patrick (originally named Sucat), a Romanized Briton who Christianized Ireland and became its patron saint.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.
OriginLatinHebrew, via Irish Seán
Pronunciation/ˈpæt.ɹɪk//ˈʃeɪn/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesPádraig, PádraicSeán, Sean, Shaun, Shawn
Recorded regional usageNew South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Norway, New ZealandNew South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, New Zealand
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #25 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #152 (2025)
Data Confidencehighhigh

What the data shows

  • Patrick is recorded with a Latin origin, while Shane is recorded with a Hebrew, via Irish Seán origin.
  • Patrick and Shane both have 2 syllables.
  • Patrick'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.

How each name got here

Patrick

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1948

    First recorded at #315 among boys in Norway in 1948 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #134 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