Namewise

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 2025, Shane was ranked #1153 and Simon #606 among boys in England and Wales.

Shane and Simon over time

Shane and Simon appear together in 5 published lists, across 199 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 England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1153 and #606.

  • 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 · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Shane held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Simon in 14.

    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, 2025: Shane #1153, Simon #606.

  • 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.

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 Shane

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

Other comparisons involving Simon

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

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — closest over the longest run.

All closest over the longest run→

Other pairs from New Zealand lists

Pairs measured inside New Zealand's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New Zealand overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 1990s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1990 and 1999.

The 1990s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Shane, Simon
FieldShaneSimon
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningAn 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
OriginHebrew, via Irish SeánNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈʃeɪn/Not yet recorded
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesSeán, Sean, Shaun, ShawnNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #152 (2025)Norway · Boys #159 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

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

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1996 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1153 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Simon

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1954–1997

    Highest recorded position: #12 among boys in New Zealand, in 1976 (recorded 1954–1997).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #606 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys