Rohan vs Shane
Rohan 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.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Rohan was ranked #577 and Shane #152 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Rohan was ranked #239 and Shane #216 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Rohan was ranked #260 and Shane #857 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Rohan was ranked #278 and Shane #478 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 1998, Rohan was ranked #2701 and Shane #3142 among girls in England and Wales.
Rohan and Shane over time
Rohan and Shane appear together in 3 published lists, across 76 years of shared records. Shane held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Rohan in 1.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Shane reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Rohan 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 2004, Rohan moved ahead of Shane in England and Wales · Boys — #160 and #144 the year before became #139 and #143.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Rohan held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Shane in 8.
Highest recorded here: Rohan #139 in 2004, Shane #74 in 1996.
The order changed in 2004: Rohan moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #160 and #144; by 2004 that had become #139 and #143.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Rohan #260, Shane #857.
Republic of Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1974–2025
Rohan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Shane in 28.
Highest recorded here: Rohan #231 in 2005, Shane #6 in 1995.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Rohan #577, Shane #152.
Northern Ireland · Boys19 shared years, 1997–2024
Rohan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Shane in 19.
Highest recorded here: Rohan #239 in 2024, Shane #41 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Rohan #239, 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 | Rohan | Shane |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | 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 | Not yet recorded | Hebrew, via Irish Seán |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈʃeɪn/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Seán, Sean, Shaun, Shawn |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #577 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #152 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Shane has a recorded origin (Hebrew, via Irish Seán); Rohan does not have one recorded yet.
- Rohan and Shane both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Shane; Rohan doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
- The available evidence gives Rohan 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
Rohan
Popularity journey
First recorded1974
First recorded at #321 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1974 — 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: #139 among boys in England and Wales, in 2004 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #577 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