Barbara vs Meagan
Barbara and Meagancompared 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 2009, Barbara was ranked #439 and Meagan #893 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2018, Barbara was ranked #886 and Meagan #5666 among girls in England and Wales.
Barbara and Meagan over time
Barbara and Meagan appear together in 2 published lists, across 40 years of shared records. Barbara held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Meagan in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Barbara reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Meagan 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Barbara and Meagan changed places 4 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2018, ending at #886 and #5666.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls23 shared years, 1996–2018
Barbara held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Meagan in 2.
Highest recorded here: Barbara #848 in 1996, Meagan #1025 in 2001.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Barbara #886, Meagan #5666.
Republic of Ireland · Girls17 shared years, 1985–2009
Barbara held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Meagan in 3.
Highest recorded here: Barbara #123 in 1985, Meagan #295 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2009: Barbara #439, Meagan #893.
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 | Barbara | Meagan |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, IE, NO, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Girls #2000 (2024) | England and Wales · Girls #5666 (2018) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Barbara has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Meagan.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE.
How each name got here
Barbara
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #271 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1954–1971
Highest recorded position: #10 among girls in New Zealand, in 1954 (recorded 1954–1971).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2000 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls
Meagan
Popularity journey
First recorded1985
First recorded at #519 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1985 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1985–2009
Highest recorded position: #295 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1996 (recorded 1985–2009).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2018
Most recently recorded at #5666 among girls in England and Wales, in 2018.
England and Wales · Girls