Namewise

Amy vs Megan

Amy 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.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2004, Amy was ranked #28 and Megan #91 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2005, Amy was ranked #28 and Megan #97 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Amy was ranked #138 and Megan #352 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2022, Amy was ranked #175 and Megan #266 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Amy was ranked #275 and Megan #384 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Amy was ranked #363 and Megan #503 among girls in England and Wales.

Amy and Megan over time

Amy and Megan appear together in 5 published lists, across 162 years of shared records. Amy held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Megan in 1.

The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Amy reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Megan in 2. 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 1977, Amy moved ahead of Megan in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #47 and #32 the year before became #27 and #39.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Amy and Megan averaged 27.9 places apart, ending at #363 and #503.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Amy and Megan were both ranked in New Zealand · Girls for 31 years, from 1975 to 2005, ending at #28 and #97.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Amy #9 in 1996, Megan #3 in 1998.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls47 shared years, 1976–2025

    Amy held the stronger position in 45 of those years, Megan in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Amy #4 in 2004, Megan #8 in 1998.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Amy #138, Megan #352.

  • New Zealand · Girls31 shared years, 1975–2005

    Amy held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Megan in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Amy #4 in 1984, Megan #19 in 1975.

    The order changed in 1978: Amy moved ahead. In 1977 they stood at #26 and #23; by 1978 that had become #15 and #22.

    Most recent shared year, 2005: Amy #28, Megan #97.

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

    Amy held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Megan in 24.

    Highest recorded here: Amy #9 in 1996, Megan #3 in 1998.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Amy #363, Megan #503.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls29 shared years, 1975–2004

    Amy held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Megan in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Amy #7 in 1983, Megan #20 in 1987.

    The order changed in 1977: Amy moved ahead. In 1976 they stood at #47 and #32; by 1977 that had become #27 and #39.

    Most recent shared year, 2004: Amy #28, Megan #91.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1997–2022

    Amy held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Megan in 5.

    Highest recorded here: Amy #4 in 1998, Megan #4 in 2000.

    The order changed in 2003: Amy moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #8 and #4; by 2003 that had become #5 and #9.

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Amy #175, Megan #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 Amy

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

Other comparisons involving Megan

Pairs where Megan 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 — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

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 Amy, Megan
FieldAmyMegan
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedA Welsh diminutive of Margaret that became independently used; only regularly used outside Wales since the mid-20th century.
OriginNot yet recordedWelsh, diminutive of Margaret
Pronunciation/ˈmɛɡ.an/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedMeghan, Meagan, Maegan
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #138 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #352 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • Megan has a recorded origin (Welsh, diminutive of Margaret); Amy does not have one recorded yet.
  • Amy and Megan both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Megan; Amy doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Amy a "medium" Data Confidence level and Megan a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

Amy

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1965

    First recorded at #262 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1975–2012

    Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in New Zealand, in 1984 (recorded 1975–2012).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #457 among girls in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Girls

Megan

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1996–2024

    Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in England and Wales, in 1998 (recorded 1996–2024).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #352 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls