Shane vs Simon
Shane and Simoncompared 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 Zealand · Boys
In 1996, Shane was ranked #89 and Simon #73 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1996, Shane was ranked #83 and Simon #100 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Shane was ranked #152 and Simon #244 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Shane was ranked #177 and Simon #311 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Shane was ranked #478 and Simon #535 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Shane was ranked #857 and Simon #524 among boys in England and Wales.
Shane and Simon over time
Shane and Simon appear together in 5 published lists, across 198 years of shared records. Shane held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Simon 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.
Simon reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Shane in 1. 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
Shane and Simon changed places 12 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1955 and 1996, ending at #83 and #100.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 42 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Shane and Simon averaged 11.5 places apart, ending at #83 and #100.
- Longest-running competitions
Shane and Simon were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 42 years, from 1955 to 1996, ending at #83 and #100.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Shane #74 in 1996, Simon #87 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Shane held the stronger position in 61 of those years, Simon in 1.
Highest recorded here: Shane #3 in 1996, Simon #46 in 1987.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Shane #152, Simon #244.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys42 shared years, 1955–1996
Shane held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Simon in 10.
Highest recorded here: Shane #15 in 1971, Simon #24 in 1970.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1996: Shane #83, Simon #100.
New Zealand · Boys42 shared years, 1955–1996
Shane held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Simon in 29.
Highest recorded here: Shane #12 in 1968, Simon #12 in 1976.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1996: Shane #89, Simon #73.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Shane held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Simon in 13.
Highest recorded here: Shane #74 in 1996, Simon #87 in 1996.
The order changed in 2012: Simon moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #279 and #305; by 2012 that had become #363 and #274.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Shane #857, Simon #524.
Northern Ireland · Boys23 shared years, 1997–2022
Shane held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Simon in 0.
Highest recorded here: Shane #41 in 2002, Simon #95 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Shane #177, Simon #311.
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 | Shane | Simon |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | 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. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Hebrew, via Irish Seán | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈʃeɪn/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Seán, Sean, Shaun, Shawn | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #152 (2025) | Norway · Boys #159 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Shane has a recorded origin (Hebrew, via Irish Seán); Simon does not have one recorded yet.
- Shane and Simon both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Shane; Simon doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Shane a "high" Data Confidence level and Simon a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
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
Simon
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #266 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1997
Highest recorded position: #12 among boys in New Zealand, in 1976 (recorded 1954–1997).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #159 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys