Rua vs Shea

Rua and Sheacompared 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.

Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2023, Rua was ranked #232 and Shea #32 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Rua was ranked #329 and Shea #125 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2023, Rua was ranked #856 and Shea #727 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Rua was ranked #5119 and Shea #1322 among boys in England and Wales.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Rua was ranked #2574 and Shea #3015 among girls in England and Wales.

Rua and Shea over time

Rua and Shea appear together in 1 published list, across 15 years of shared records. Shea held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Rua in 0.

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

Rua reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Shea 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.

List by list

Republic of Ireland · Boys15 shared years, 2008–2025
Rua held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Shea in 15.
Highest recorded here: Rua #257 in 2021, Shea #125 in 2025.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Rua #329, Shea #125.

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 Shea

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

Craig vs Shea
In 1997 they stood at #68 and #70 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 2 places apart; by 2015 they were #415 and #33.
Craig · Shea · 17 shared years, 1997–2015 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2015 Northern Ireland ranking
Brendan vs Shea
In 1997 they stood at #73 and #70 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 3 places apart; by 2024 they were #404 and #51.
Brendan · Shea · 28 shared years, 1997–2024 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2024 Northern Ireland ranking
Darragh vs Shea
Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Boys, Darragh and Shea averaged 13.0 places apart, ending at #51 and #51.
Darragh · Shea · 28 shared years, 1997–2024 · Closest over the longest run
See the 2024 Northern Ireland ranking
Freddie vs Shea
In Northern Ireland · Boys, Freddie moved into the top 50 at #17 in 2024 as Shea fell out of it to #51, having been #32 the year before.
Freddie · Shea · 20 shared years, 2005–2024 · One took the other's place near the top
See the 2024 Northern Ireland ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Rua, Shea
Field	Rua	Shea
Record type	Official statistical record (evidence-only)	Editorially researched profile
Gender usage	Used for both boys and girls	male
Meaning	Not yet recorded	The Anglicized form of Séaghdha, occasionally used as a feminine name as well.
Origin	Not yet recorded	Irish
Pronunciation	Not yet recorded	/ˈʃeɪ/
Syllables	1	1
Common variants / nicknames	Not yet recorded	Sé, Séaghdha, Shay
Recorded regional usage	GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE	GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE
Most recent popularity observation	Republic of Ireland · Boys #329 (2025)	Republic of Ireland · Boys #125 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	Not yet recorded	90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	95/100	95/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	100/100	100/100
Data Confidence	medium	high

What the data shows

Shea has a recorded origin (Irish); Rua does not have one recorded yet.
Rua and Shea both have 1 syllable.
A meaning is recorded for Shea; Rua doesn't have one written yet.
Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
The available evidence gives Rua a "medium" Data Confidence level and Shea a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

Rua

Popularity journey

First recorded2008
First recorded at #698 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 2008 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded2010–2024
Highest recorded position: #192 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2024 (recorded 2010–2024).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #443 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls

Shea

Popularity journey

First recorded1976
First recorded at #316 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1976 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #25 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2007 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #125 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys