Raphael vs Tony

Raphael and Tonycompared 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 · Boys
In 2024, Raphael was ranked #158 and Tony #847 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2021, Raphael was ranked #326 and Tony #249 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Raphael was ranked #468 and Tony #372 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

Raphael and Tony over time

Raphael and Tony appear together in 2 published lists, across 72 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

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.

Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 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.

Longest-running competitions
Raphael and Tony were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 43 years, from 1967 to 2025, ending at #468 and #372.

List by list

Republic of Ireland · Boys43 shared years, 1967–2025
Raphael held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Tony in 39.
Highest recorded here: Raphael #176 in 1967, Tony #150 in 1987.
The order changed in 2014: Tony moved ahead. In 2013 they stood at #309 and #352; by 2014 that had become #715 and #403.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Raphael #468, Tony #372.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Raphael held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Tony in 7.
Highest recorded here: Raphael #156 in 2023, Tony #167 in 1996.
The order changed in 2003: Raphael moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #350 and #314; by 2003 that had become #332 and #360.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Raphael #158, Tony #847.

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 Tony

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

Tony vs Brent
Tony and Brent changed places 13 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1954 and 1987, ending at #58 and #97.
Tony · Brent · 34 shared years, 1954–1987 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
See the 1987 New Zealand ranking
Gregory vs Tony
Gregory and Tony changed places 13 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1954 and 1988, ending at #76 and #71.
Gregory · Tony · 35 shared years, 1954–1988 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
See the 1988 New Zealand ranking
Jason vs Tony
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — Jason #1 in 1971, Tony #55 in 1969.
Jason · Tony · 22 shared years, 1964–1987 · Peaked in the same years
See the 1971 New South Wales, Australia ranking
Dean vs Tony
Across 36 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Dean and Tony averaged 10.8 places apart, ending at #92 and #90.
Dean · Tony · 36 shared years, 1956–1991 · Closest over the longest run
See the 1991 New Zealand ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Raphael, Tony
Field	Raphael	Tony
Record type	Official statistical record (evidence-only)	Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usage	male	male
Meaning	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Origin	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Pronunciation	Not yet recorded
Syllables	2	2
Common variants / nicknames	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Recorded regional usage	GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observation	Norway · Boys #415 (2025)	Republic of Ireland · Boys #372 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	82/100	95/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	100/100	100/100
Data Confidence	medium	medium

What the data shows

Raphael and Tony both have 2 syllables.
Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO.

How each name got here

Raphael

Popularity journey

First recorded1965
First recorded at #170 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #156 among boys in England and Wales, in 2023 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #468 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys

Tony

Popularity journey

First recorded1952
First recorded at #96 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 recorded1954–1991
Highest recorded position: #22 among boys in New Zealand, in 1967 (recorded 1954–1991).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #372 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys