Alison vs Meadbh
Alison and Meadbhcompared 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.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 1998, Alison was ranked #118 and Meadbh #351 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2019, Alison was ranked #152 and Meadbh #871 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Alison and Meadbh over time
Alison and Meadbh appear together in 1 published list, across 19 years of shared records. Alison held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Meadbh in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Alison reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Meadbh 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.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Alison #45 in 1998, Meadbh #202 in 2000.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls19 shared years, 1998–2019
Alison held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Meadbh in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alison #45 in 1998, Meadbh #202 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Alison #152, Meadbh #871.
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 Alison
Pairs where Alison shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Gemma vs Alison
In 1964 they stood at #149 and #146 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 3 places apart; by 2025 they were #718 and #213.
Gemma · Alison · 62 shared years, 1964–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Alison vs Cara
Over 60 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Cara rose about as far as Alison fell — from #98 and #344 in 1966 to #213 and #52 in 2025.
Alison · Cara · 60 shared years, 1966–2025 · Mirrored each other
- Sophia vs Alison
Over 60 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Sophia rose about as far as Alison fell — from #325 and #117 in 1965 to #14 and #213 in 2025.
Sophia · Alison · 60 shared years, 1965–2025 · Mirrored each other
- Caoimhe vs Alison
Over 57 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Caoimhe rose about as far as Alison fell — from #380 and #98 in 1966 to #31 and #213 in 2025.
Caoimhe · Alison · 57 shared years, 1966–2025 · Mirrored each other
Side by side
| Field | Alison | Meadbh |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ | GB-NIR, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #213 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #871 (2019) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 60/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Alison has 3 syllables, compared with 1 for Meadbh.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
Alison
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #76 among girls 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 · Girls
Highest recorded1952–1996
Highest recorded position: #18 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1979 (recorded 1952–1996).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #1719 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Meadbh
Popularity journey
First recorded1998
First recorded at #351 among girls in Northern Ireland in 1998 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Northern Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1998–2019
Highest recorded position: #202 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2000 (recorded 1998–2019).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2019
Most recently recorded at #871 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2019.
Republic of Ireland · Girls