Samara vs Shannon
Samara and Shannoncompared 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 · Girls
In 2014, Samara was ranked #439 and Shannon #191 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2023, Samara was ranked #856 and Shannon #555 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Samara was ranked #1097 and Shannon #1743 among girls in England and Wales.
Samara and Shannon over time
Samara and Shannon appear together in 3 published lists, across 47 years of shared records. Shannon held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Samara in 0.
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.
Shannon reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Samara 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Samara and Shannon changed places 5 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2024, ending at #1097 and #1743.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Samara held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Shannon in 20.
Highest recorded here: Samara #590 in 2004, Shannon #11 in 1996.
The order changed in 2022: Samara moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #1505 and #1505; by 2022 that had become #1142 and #1948.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Samara #1097, Shannon #1743.
Republic of Ireland · Girls10 shared years, 1997–2023
Samara held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Shannon in 10.
Highest recorded here: Samara #431 in 2007, Shannon #14 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Samara #856, Shannon #555.
Northern Ireland · Girls8 shared years, 1998–2014
Samara held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Shannon in 8.
Highest recorded here: Samara #219 in 2006, Shannon #7 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2014: Samara #439, Shannon #191.
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 | Samara | Shannon |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Girls #1097 (2024) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #885 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Samara has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Shannon.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
Samara
Popularity journey
First recorded1996
First recorded at #643 among girls in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Girls
Highest recorded1998–2014
Highest recorded position: #219 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2006 (recorded 1998–2014).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #1097 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls
Shannon
Popularity journey
First recorded1973
First recorded at #69 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1973 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 1997 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #885 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls