Shannon vs Tao
Shannon and Taocompared 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.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2003, Shannon was ranked #35 and Tao #4373 among girls in England and Wales.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2019, Shannon was ranked #4702 and Tao #3013 among boys in England and Wales.
Shannon and Tao over time
Shannon and Tao appear together in 1 published list, across 11 years of shared records. Tao held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Shannon in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
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.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Shannon #1467 in 2001, Tao #1746 in 2001.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys11 shared years, 1999–2019
Shannon held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Tao in 8.
Highest recorded here: Shannon #1467 in 2001, Tao #1746 in 2001.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Shannon #4702, Tao #3013.
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 Shannon
Pairs where Shannon shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Charlotte vs Shannon
In 1996 they stood at #7 and #11 in England and Wales · Girls, 4 places apart; by 2025 they were #25 and #2138.
Charlotte · Shannon · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Emily vs Shannon
In 1996 they stood at #4 and #11 in England and Wales · Girls, 7 places apart; by 2025 they were #44 and #2138.
Emily · Shannon · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Sophie vs Shannon
In 1996 they stood at #1 and #11 in England and Wales · Girls, 10 places apart; by 2025 they were #63 and #2138.
Sophie · Shannon · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Sarah vs Shannon
In 1996 they stood at #18 and #11 in England and Wales · Girls, 7 places apart; by 2025 they were #131 and #2138.
Sarah · Shannon · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
Side by side
| Field | Shannon | Tao |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ | GB-ENW |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #885 (2025) | England and Wales · Boys #2952 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 40/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Shannon has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Tao.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW.
How each name got here
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 #2138 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Tao
Popularity journey
First recorded1999
First recorded at #1850 among boys in England and Wales in 1999 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Boys
Highest recorded1999–2025
Highest recorded position: #1701 among boys in England and Wales, in 2023 (recorded 1999–2025).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #2952 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys