Amelia vs Megan
Amelia and Megancompared 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 2024, Amelia was ranked #2 and Megan #503 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Amelia was ranked #7 and Megan #384 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2022, Amelia was ranked #11 and Megan #266 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Amelia was ranked #12 and Megan #352 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2004, Amelia was ranked #18 and Megan #91 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2005, Amelia was ranked #20 and Megan #97 among girls in New Zealand.
Amelia and Megan over time
Amelia and Megan appear together in 6 published lists, across 157 years of shared records. Megan held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Amelia in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Megan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Amelia 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 took the other's place near the top
In New Zealand · Girls, Amelia moved into the top 50 at #42 in 2000 as Megan fell out of it to #52, having been #39 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2006, Amelia moved ahead of Megan in England and Wales · Girls — #15 and #13 the year before became #16 and #17.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 20 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Amelia and Megan averaged 42.0 places apart, ending at #20 and #97.
- Longest-running competitions
Amelia and Megan were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 37 years, from 1996 to 2024, ending at #2 and #503.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Scotland · Girls within 2 years — Amelia #7 in 2024, Megan #384 in 2024.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls44 shared years, 1976–2025
Amelia held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Megan in 24.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #3 in 2017, Megan #8 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Amelia #12, Megan #352.
England and Wales · Girls37 shared years, 1996–2024
Amelia held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Megan in 10.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #1 in 2011, Megan #3 in 1998.
The order changed in 2006: Amelia moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #15 and #13; by 2006 that had become #16 and #17.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Amelia #2, Megan #503.
Northern Ireland · Girls25 shared years, 1997–2022
Amelia held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Megan in 14.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #4 in 2012, Megan #4 in 2000.
The order changed in 2012: Amelia moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #33 and #32; by 2012 that had become #4 and #38.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Amelia #11, Megan #266.
New Zealand · Girls20 shared years, 1986–2005
Amelia held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Megan in 14.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #20 in 2005, Megan #22 in 1990.
The order changed in 2000: Amelia moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #61 and #39; by 2000 that had become #42 and #52.
Most recent shared year, 2005: Amelia #20, Megan #97.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls17 shared years, 1985–2004
Amelia held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Megan in 10.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #18 in 2004, Megan #26 in 1988.
The order changed in 1998: Amelia moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #56 and #48; by 1998 that had become #51 and #58.
Most recent shared year, 2004: Amelia #18, Megan #91.
Scotland · Girls14 shared years, 2024–2024
Amelia held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Megan in 0.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #7 in 2024, Megan #384 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Amelia #7, Megan #384.
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 | Amelia | Megan |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'work' or 'industrious', with usage strongly influenced by the separate Roman name Aemilia. | A Welsh diminutive of Margaret that became independently used; only regularly used outside Wales since the mid-20th century. |
| Origin | Latin (influence) | Welsh, diminutive of Margaret |
| Pronunciation | /əˈmiːliə/ | /ˈmɛɡ.an/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Amelie, Amalia, Amy, Mia | Meghan, Meagan, Maegan |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | United Kingdom #1 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #352 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | high |
What the data shows
- Amelia is recorded with a Latin (influence) origin, while Megan is recorded with a Welsh, diminutive of Margaret origin.
- Amelia has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Megan.
- Amelia's recorded meaning differs from Megan's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Amelia
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #300 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
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2011 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #2 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Megan
Popularity journey
First recorded1958
First recorded at #98 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1958 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in England and Wales, in 1998 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #352 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls