Alison vs Meaghan
Alison and Meaghancompared 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 2017, Alison was ranked #145 and Meaghan #873 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2004, Alison was ranked #273 and Meaghan #372 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2014, Alison was ranked #1177 and Meaghan #4684 among girls in England and Wales.
Alison and Meaghan over time
Alison and Meaghan appear together in 2 published lists, across 33 years of shared records. Alison held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Meaghan in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Alison reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Meaghan 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 England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Alison #225 in 1996, Meaghan #1076 in 1998.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls19 shared years, 1988–2017
Alison held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Meaghan in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alison #38 in 1990, Meaghan #356 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2017: Alison #145, Meaghan #873.
England and Wales · Girls14 shared years, 1996–2014
Alison held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Meaghan in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alison #225 in 1996, Meaghan #1076 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2014: Alison #1177, Meaghan #4684.
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 | Alison | Meaghan |
|---|---|---|
| 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, IE, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #213 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #873 (2017) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Alison has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Meaghan.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, 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 #213 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Meaghan
Popularity journey
First recorded1988
First recorded at #492 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1988 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1997–2011
Highest recorded position: #227 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 1999 (recorded 1997–2011).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2017
Most recently recorded at #873 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2017.
Republic of Ireland · Girls