Namewise

Andrea vs Melissa

Andrea 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.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1988, Andrea was ranked #94 and Melissa #14 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Andrea was ranked #98 and Melissa #268 among girls in Norway.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Andrea was ranked #304 and Melissa #173 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Andrea was ranked #1079 and Melissa #321 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2017, Andrea was ranked #355 and Melissa #355 among girls in Northern Ireland.

Andrea and Melissa over time

Andrea and Melissa appear together in 5 published lists, across 183 years of shared records. Melissa held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Andrea in 2.

The order between them changed and held in 2 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, Andrea 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 1976, Melissa moved ahead of Andrea in New Zealand · Girls — #15 and #33 the year before became #33 and #12.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Andrea and Melissa changed places 13 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1965 and 2025, ending at #304 and #173.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 22 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Andrea and Melissa averaged 36.5 places apart, ending at #94 and #14.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Andrea and Melissa were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1079 and #321.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Andrea #354 in 1998, Melissa #46 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls60 shared years, 1965–2025

    Andrea held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Melissa in 28.

    Highest recorded here: Andrea #62 in 1985, Melissa #48 in 1984.

    The order changed in 2017: Melissa moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #288 and #316; by 2017 that had become #396 and #205.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Andrea #304, Melissa #173.

  • Norway · Girls53 shared years, 1964–2025

    Andrea held the stronger position in 53 of those years, Melissa in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Andrea #11 in 2005, Melissa #141 in 2012.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Andrea #98, Melissa #268.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Andrea held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Melissa in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Andrea #354 in 1998, Melissa #46 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Andrea #1079, Melissa #321.

  • New Zealand · Girls22 shared years, 1967–1988

    Andrea held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Melissa in 15.

    Highest recorded here: Andrea #15 in 1975, Melissa #7 in 1984.

    The order changed in 1976: Melissa moved ahead. In 1975 they stood at #15 and #33; by 1976 that had become #33 and #12.

    Most recent shared year, 1988: Andrea #94, Melissa #14.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls18 shared years, 1997–2017

    Andrea held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Melissa in 17.

    Highest recorded here: Andrea #119 in 1999, Melissa #43 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2017: Andrea #355, Melissa #355.

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 Andrea

Pairs where Andrea 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 Republic of Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Republic of 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.

Republic of 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 Andrea, Melissa
FieldAndreaMelissa
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, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Girls #98 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #173 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Melissa has a recorded origin (Greek); Andrea does not have one recorded yet.
  • Andrea has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Melissa.
  • A meaning is recorded for Melissa; Andrea doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Andrea

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #401 among girls in Norway in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1952–2025

    Highest recorded position: #11 among girls in Norway, in 2005 (recorded 1952–2025).

    Norway · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1079 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · 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 #321 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls