Shane vs Terry
Shane and Terrycompared 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 1968, Shane was ranked #12 and Terry #92 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1972, Shane was ranked #16 and Terry #90 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Shane was ranked #152 and Terry #509 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Shane was ranked #177 and Terry #414 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Shane was ranked #857 and Terry #2263 among boys in England and Wales.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2011, Shane was ranked #5785 and Terry #5785 among girls in England and Wales.
Shane and Terry over time
Shane and Terry appear together in 4 published lists, across 106 years of shared records. Shane held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Terry 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.
Terry 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1957, Shane moved ahead of Terry in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #61 and #54 the year before became #54 and #57.
- Longest-running competitions
Shane and Terry were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 47 years, from 1972 to 2025, ending at #152 and #509.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Shane #74 in 1996, Terry #301 in 1997.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys47 shared years, 1972–2025
Shane held the stronger position in 47 of those years, Terry in 0.
Highest recorded here: Shane #3 in 1996, Terry #177 in 1975.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Shane #152, Terry #509.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Shane held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Terry in 0.
Highest recorded here: Shane #74 in 1996, Terry #301 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Shane #857, Terry #2263.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys18 shared years, 1954–1972
Shane held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Terry in 3.
Highest recorded here: Shane #15 in 1971, Terry #49 in 1959.
The order changed in 1957: Shane moved ahead. In 1956 they stood at #61 and #54; by 1957 that had become #54 and #57.
Most recent shared year, 1972: Shane #16, Terry #90.
New Zealand · Boys12 shared years, 1956–1968
Shane held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Terry in 1.
Highest recorded here: Shane #12 in 1968, Terry #76 in 1962.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1968: Shane #12, Terry #92.
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 | Terry |
|---|---|---|
| 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, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #152 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #509 (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); Terry does not have one recorded yet.
- Shane and Terry both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Shane; Terry doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Shane a "high" Data Confidence level and Terry 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
Terry
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #60 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1952–1972
Highest recorded position: #49 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1959 (recorded 1952–1972).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #509 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys