Namewise

Aisling vs Melissa

Aisling and Melissacompared 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.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Aisling was ranked #180 and Melissa #173 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2022, Aisling was ranked #418 and Melissa #266 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Aisling was ranked #2000 and Melissa #280 among girls in England and Wales.

Aisling and Melissa over time

Aisling and Melissa appear together in 3 published lists, across 115 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

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.

Melissa reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Aisling 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.

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 2025, Melissa moved ahead of Aisling in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #154 and #342 the year before became #180 and #173.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Aisling and Melissa changed places 12 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2022, ending at #418 and #266.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 25 shared years in Northern Ireland · Girls, Aisling and Melissa averaged 43.4 places apart, ending at #418 and #266.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Aisling and Melissa were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 61 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #180 and #173.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Aisling #391 in 1998, Melissa #46 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls61 shared years, 1964–2025

    Aisling held the stronger position in 60 of those years, Melissa in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Aisling #8 in 1991, Melissa #48 in 1984.

    The order changed in 2025: Melissa moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #154 and #342; by 2025 that had become #180 and #173.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Aisling #180, Melissa #173.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024

    Aisling held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Melissa in 29.

    Highest recorded here: Aisling #391 in 1998, Melissa #46 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Aisling #2000, Melissa #280.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls25 shared years, 1997–2022

    Aisling held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Melissa in 12.

    Highest recorded here: Aisling #60 in 1998, Melissa #43 in 1997.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Aisling #418, Melissa #266.

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 Aisling

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

Other comparisons involving Melissa

Pairs where Melissa 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 — repeatedly exchanged positions.

All repeatedly exchanged positions→

Other pairs from Northern Ireland lists

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

Northern Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Aisling, Melissa
FieldAislingMelissa
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedMeans 'bee' in Greek. Borne in mythology by a daughter of Procles and used as an epithet for various nymphs and priestesses; appears in Ludovico Ariosto's 1532 poem Orlando Furioso.
OriginNot yet recordedGreek
PronunciationNot yet recorded/mə.ˈlɪs.ə/
Syllables23
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, IEAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #180 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #173 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Melissa has a recorded origin (Greek); Aisling does not have one recorded yet.
  • Aisling has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Melissa.
  • A meaning is recorded for Melissa; Aisling doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.

How each name got here

Aisling

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #154 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #8 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1991 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #180 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

Melissa

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1962

    First recorded at #78 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1962 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1962–2000

    Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1977 (recorded 1962–2000).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #268 among girls in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Girls