Barbara vs Melisa
Barbara and Melisacompared 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, Barbara was ranked #2000 and Melisa #751 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2023, Barbara was ranked #856 and Melisa #856 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Barbara and Melisa over time
Barbara and Melisa appear together in 2 published lists, across 49 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
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 Melisa 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 Melisa changed places 7 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1976 and 2023, ending at #856 and #856.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Barbara held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Melisa in 29.
Highest recorded here: Barbara #848 in 1996, Melisa #555 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Barbara #2000, Melisa #751.
Republic of Ireland · Girls20 shared years, 1976–2023
Barbara held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Melisa in 6.
Highest recorded here: Barbara #67 in 1976, Melisa #375 in 2020.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Barbara #856, Melisa #856.
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 | Melisa |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, IE, NO, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Girls #2000 (2024) | Norway · Girls #379 (2025) |
| 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 and Melisa both have 3 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE, NO.
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
Melisa
Popularity journey
First recorded1976
First recorded at #497 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1976 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded2016–2018
Highest recorded position: #353 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2016 (recorded 2016–2018).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #379 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls