Namewise

Carol vs Megan

Carol 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.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 1998, Carol was ranked #351 and Megan #10 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1971, Carol was ranked #96 and Megan #35 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2010, Carol was ranked #663 and Megan #37 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1968, Carol was ranked #90 and Megan #52 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2021, Carol was ranked #3519 and Megan #330 among girls in England and Wales.

Carol and Megan over time

Carol and Megan appear together in 4 published lists, across 75 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

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.

Carol reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Megan 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, Megan moved into the top 50 at #27 in 1968 as Carol fell out of it to #55, having been #49 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1965, Megan moved ahead of Carol in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #50 and #63 the year before became #55 and #52.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Carol and Megan were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 30 years, from 1976 to 2010, ending at #663 and #37.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Carol #802 in 1996, Megan #3 in 1998.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls30 shared years, 1976–2010

    Carol held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Megan in 19.

    Highest recorded here: Carol #38 in 1979, Megan #8 in 1998.

    The order changed in 1990: Megan moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #87 and #89; by 1990 that had become #95 and #65.

    Most recent shared year, 2010: Carol #663, Megan #37.

  • England and Wales · Girls24 shared years, 1996–2021

    Carol held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Megan in 24.

    Highest recorded here: Carol #802 in 1996, Megan #3 in 1998.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2021: Carol #3519, Megan #330.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls11 shared years, 1958–1968

    Carol held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Megan in 4.

    Highest recorded here: Carol #38 in 1961, Megan #47 in 1967.

    The order changed in 1965: Megan moved ahead. In 1964 they stood at #50 and #63; by 1965 that had become #55 and #52.

    Most recent shared year, 1968: Carol #90, Megan #52.

  • New Zealand · Girls10 shared years, 1962–1971

    Carol held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Megan in 4.

    Highest recorded here: Carol #26 in 1962, Megan #27 in 1968.

    The order changed in 1968: Megan moved ahead. In 1967 they stood at #49 and #52; by 1968 that had become #55 and #27.

    Most recent shared year, 1971: Carol #96, Megan #35.

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 Carol

Pairs where Carol 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 took the other's place near the top.

All one took the other's place near the top→

Other pairs from New Zealand lists

Pairs measured inside New Zealand's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New Zealand overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 1970s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1970 and 1979.

The 1970s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Carol, Megan
FieldCarolMegan
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
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˈmɛɡ.an/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedMeghan, Meagan, Maegan
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Boys #2133 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #352 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • Megan has a recorded origin (Welsh, diminutive of Margaret); Carol does not have one recorded yet.
  • Carol and Megan both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Megan; Carol doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Carol 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

Carol

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #26 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1954–1971

    Highest recorded position: #19 among girls in New Zealand, in 1957 (recorded 1954–1971).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #2133 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

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 recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in England and Wales, in 1998 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #816 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls