Derval vs Megan
Derval 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.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2007, Derval was ranked #705 and Megan #30 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Derval and Megan over time
Derval and Megan appear together in 1 published list, across 9 years of shared records. Megan held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Derval 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.
Derval reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 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.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls9 shared years, 1976–2007
Derval held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Megan in 5.
Highest recorded here: Derval #284 in 1976, Megan #10 in 1996.
The order changed in 1985: Megan moved ahead. In 1984 they stood at #365 and #529; by 1985 that had become #519 and #283.
Most recent shared year, 2007: Derval #705, Megan #30.
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 | Derval | Megan |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | A Welsh diminutive of Margaret that became independently used; only regularly used outside Wales since the mid-20th century. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Welsh, diminutive of Margaret |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈmɛɡ.an/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Meghan, Meagan, Maegan |
| Recorded regional usage | IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #705 (2007) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #352 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 40/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Megan has a recorded origin (Welsh, diminutive of Margaret); Derval does not have one recorded yet.
- Derval and Megan both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Megan; Derval doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in IE.
- The available evidence gives Derval 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
Derval
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #274 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 recorded1964–2007
Highest recorded position: #236 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1966 (recorded 1964–2007).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2007
Most recently recorded at #705 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2007.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Megan
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in England and Wales, in 1998 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #816 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls