Shea vs Sheldon
Shea and Sheldoncompared 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 · Boys
In 2024, Shea was ranked #1322 and Sheldon #5119 among boys in England and Wales.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2001, Shea was ranked #1728 and Sheldon #3998 among girls in England and Wales.
Shea and Sheldon over time
Shea and Sheldon appear together in 1 published list, across 29 years of shared records. Shea held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Sheldon 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.
Sheldon reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Shea 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.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Shea held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Sheldon in 3.
Highest recorded here: Shea #308 in 1999, Sheldon #402 in 1996.
The order changed in 1999: Shea moved ahead. In 1998 they stood at #490 and #452; by 1999 that had become #308 and #481.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Shea #1322, Sheldon #5119.
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 | Shea | Sheldon |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | The Anglicized form of Séaghdha, occasionally used as a feminine name as well. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Irish | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈʃeɪ/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Sé, Séaghdha, Shay | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | GB-ENW |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #125 (2025) | England and Wales · Boys #5119 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 40/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Shea has a recorded origin (Irish); Sheldon does not have one recorded yet.
- Shea has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Sheldon.
- A meaning is recorded for Shea; Sheldon doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW.
- The available evidence gives Shea a "high" Data Confidence level and Sheldon a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Shea
Popularity journey
First recorded1976
First recorded at #316 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1976 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #25 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2007 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #125 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Sheldon
Popularity journey
First recorded1996
First recorded at #2350 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 recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #402 among boys in England and Wales, in 1996 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #5119 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys