Abigail vs Meriel
Abigail and Merielcompared 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 2021, Abigail was ranked #105 and Meriel #5581 among girls in England and Wales.
Abigail and Meriel over time
Abigail and Meriel appear together in 1 published list, across 15 years of shared records. Abigail held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Meriel 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 · Girls within 2 years — Abigail #20 in 1999, Meriel #2189 in 1999.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls15 shared years, 1997–2021
Abigail held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Meriel in 0.
Highest recorded here: Abigail #20 in 1999, Meriel #2189 in 1999.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Abigail #105, Meriel #5581.
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 Abigail
Pairs where Abigail shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Shannon vs Abigail
In 1996 they stood at #11 and #21 in England and Wales · Girls, 10 places apart; by 2024 they were #1743 and #154.
Shannon · Abigail · 29 shared years, 1996–2024 · Started together, ended far apart
- Danielle vs Abigail
In 1996 they stood at #20 and #21 in England and Wales · Girls, 1 places apart; by 2024 they were #934 and #154.
Danielle · Abigail · 29 shared years, 1996–2024 · Started together, ended far apart
- Jade vs Abigail
In 1996 they stood at #19 and #21 in England and Wales · Girls, 2 places apart; by 2024 they were #638 and #154.
Jade · Abigail · 29 shared years, 1996–2024 · Started together, ended far apart
- Fiona vs Abigail
In 1997 they stood at #66 and #72 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 6 places apart; by 2017 they were #432 and #48.
Fiona · Abigail · 18 shared years, 1997–2017 · Started together, ended far apart
Side by side
| Field | Abigail | Meriel |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | GB-ENW, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #55 (2025) | England and Wales · Girls #5581 (2021) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 60/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Abigail has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Meriel.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE.
How each name got here
Abigail
Popularity journey
First recorded1969
First recorded at #303 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1969 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #19 among girls in England and Wales, in 2000 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #55 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Meriel
Popularity journey
First recorded1997
First recorded at #3174 among girls in England and Wales in 1997 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2021
Most recently recorded at #5581 among girls in England and Wales, in 2021.
England and Wales · Girls