Paul vs Shane
Paul 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 South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1995, Paul was ranked #72 and Shane #93 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1998, Paul was ranked #86 and Shane #90 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Paul was ranked #286 and Shane #152 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Paul was ranked #278 and Shane #216 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Paul was ranked #290 and Shane #478 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Paul was ranked #586 and Shane #857 among boys in England and Wales.
Paul and Shane over time
Paul and Shane appear together in 5 published lists, across 204 years of shared records. Paul held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Shane in 2.
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.
Paul 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 moved ahead of the other
In 2018, Shane moved ahead of Paul in Northern Ireland · Boys — #171 and #194 the year before became #151 and #135.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Paul and Shane changed places 6 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1955 and 1998, ending at #86 and #90.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 42 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Paul and Shane averaged 19.3 places apart, ending at #72 and #93.
- Longest-running competitions
Paul and Shane were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 42 years, from 1954 to 1995, ending at #72 and #93.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Paul #72 in 1996, Shane #74 in 1996.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #72 and #74 in England and Wales · Boys, 2 places apart; by 2024 they were #586 and #857.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Paul held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Shane in 38.
Highest recorded here: Paul #3 in 1978, Shane #3 in 1996.
The order changed in 1988: Shane moved ahead. In 1987 they stood at #7 and #8; by 1988 that had become #9 and #5.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Paul #286, Shane #152.
New Zealand · Boys43 shared years, 1955–1998
Paul held the stronger position in 39 of those years, Shane in 4.
Highest recorded here: Paul #3 in 1965, Shane #12 in 1968.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1998: Paul #86, Shane #90.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys42 shared years, 1954–1995
Paul held the stronger position in 41 of those years, Shane in 1.
Highest recorded here: Paul #4 in 1966, Shane #15 in 1971.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1995: Paul #72, Shane #93.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Paul held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Shane in 0.
Highest recorded here: Paul #72 in 1996, Shane #74 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Paul #586, Shane #857.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Paul held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Shane in 20.
Highest recorded here: Paul #27 in 1997, Shane #41 in 2002.
The order changed in 2018: Shane moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #171 and #194; by 2018 that had become #151 and #135.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Paul #278, 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.
Side by side
| Field | Paul | Shane |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | From the Roman name Paulus, meaning 'small' in Latin. Saint Paul, originally named Saul, converted to Christianity and became a key missionary figure, authoring several New Testament epistles. | 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 | Latin | Hebrew, via Irish Seán |
| Pronunciation | /ˈpɔːl/ | /ˈʃeɪn/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Seán, Sean, Shaun, Shawn |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #286 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #152 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Paul is recorded with a Latin origin, while Shane is recorded with a Hebrew, via Irish Seán origin.
- Paul has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Shane.
- Paul'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 Paul 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
Paul
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #73 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1998
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New Zealand, in 1965 (recorded 1954–1998).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #286 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