Clare vs Melissa
Clare 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 South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1989, Clare was ranked #87 and Melissa #7 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1978, Clare was ranked #90 and Melissa #10 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Clare was ranked #718 and Melissa #173 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2016, Clare was ranked #440 and Melissa #229 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Clare was ranked #4192 and Melissa #280 among girls in England and Wales.
Clare and Melissa over time
Clare and Melissa appear together in 4 published lists, across 113 years of shared records. Melissa held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Clare in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one 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 2 of those lists, and Clare 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 moved ahead of the other
In 2004, Melissa moved ahead of Clare in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #174 and #189 the year before became #304 and #130.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Clare and Melissa changed places 4 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2016, ending at #440 and #229.
- Longest-running competitions
Clare and Melissa were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 57 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #718 and #173.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Clare #200 in 1996, Melissa #46 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls57 shared years, 1964–2025
Clare held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Melissa in 30.
Highest recorded here: Clare #45 in 1985, Melissa #48 in 1984.
The order changed in 2004: Melissa moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #174 and #189; by 2004 that had become #304 and #130.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Clare #718, Melissa #173.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Clare held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Melissa in 29.
Highest recorded here: Clare #200 in 1996, Melissa #46 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Clare #4192, Melissa #280.
Northern Ireland · Girls19 shared years, 1997–2016
Clare held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Melissa in 15.
Highest recorded here: Clare #66 in 1997, Melissa #43 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2016: Clare #440, Melissa #229.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls8 shared years, 1979–1989
Clare held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Melissa in 8.
Highest recorded here: Clare #77 in 1983, Melissa #2 in 1979.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1989: Clare #87, Melissa #7.
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 | Clare | Melissa |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Means '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. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Greek |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /mə.ˈlɪs.ə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #718 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #173 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Melissa has a recorded origin (Greek); Clare does not have one recorded yet.
- Clare has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Melissa.
- A meaning is recorded for Melissa; Clare doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Clare
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #55 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #45 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1985 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #718 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Melissa
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1962–2000
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1977 (recorded 1962–2000).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #268 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls