Eileen vs Melanie

Eileen and Melaniecompared 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 2015, Eileen was ranked #426 and Melanie #358 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Eileen was ranked #443 and Melanie #885 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Eileen was ranked #501 and Melanie #482 among girls in Norway.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Eileen was ranked #855 and Melanie #934 among girls in England and Wales.

Eileen and Melanie over time

Eileen and Melanie appear together in 4 published lists, across 137 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Eileen reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Melanie in 1. 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
Eileen and Melanie changed places 9 times in Norway · Girls between 1970 and 2025, ending at #501 and #482.
Longest-running competitions
Eileen and Melanie were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 39 years, from 1970 to 2025, ending at #501 and #482.

List by list

Republic of Ireland · Girls61 shared years, 1965–2025
Eileen held the stronger position in 48 of those years, Melanie in 10.
Highest recorded here: Eileen #17 in 1965, Melanie #128 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Eileen #443, Melanie #885.
Norway · Girls39 shared years, 1970–2025
Eileen held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Melanie in 9.
Highest recorded here: Eileen #224 in 1972, Melanie #281 in 1983.
The order changed in 2025: Melanie moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #354 and #503; by 2025 that had become #501 and #482.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Eileen #501, Melanie #482.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Eileen held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Melanie in 28.
Highest recorded here: Eileen #855 in 2024, Melanie #239 in 1996.
The order changed in 2024: Eileen moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #888 and #754; by 2024 that had become #855 and #934.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Eileen #855, Melanie #934.
Northern Ireland · Girls8 shared years, 1997–2015
Eileen held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Melanie in 6.
Highest recorded here: Eileen #314 in 1997, Melanie #188 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2015: Eileen #426, Melanie #358.

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 Eileen

Pairs where Eileen shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Geraldine vs Eileen
In 1964 they stood at #9 and #17 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 8 places apart; by 2021 they were #883 and #322.
Geraldine · Eileen · 51 shared years, 1964–2021 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2021 Republic of Ireland ranking
Pauline vs Eileen
In 1964 they stood at #12 and #17 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2018 they were #896 and #336.
Pauline · Eileen · 45 shared years, 1964–2018 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2018 Republic of Ireland ranking
Eileen vs Carmel
In 1964 they stood at #17 and #21 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 4 places apart; by 2015 they were #362 and #896.
Eileen · Carmel · 46 shared years, 1964–2015 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2015 Republic of Ireland ranking
Deirdre vs Eileen
In 1964 they stood at #14 and #17 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 3 places apart; by 2019 they were #871 and #421.
Deirdre · Eileen · 51 shared years, 1964–2019 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2019 Republic of Ireland ranking

Other comparisons involving Melanie

Pairs where Melanie shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Kelly vs Melanie
In 1978, Kelly moved ahead of Melanie in New Zealand · Girls — #12 and #8 the year before became #3 and #12.
Kelly · Melanie · 25 shared years, 1970–1996 · One moved ahead of the other
See the 1978 New Zealand ranking
Angela vs Melanie
Across 28 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Angela and Melanie averaged 9.6 places apart, ending at #76 and #82.
Angela · Melanie · 28 shared years, 1970–1997 · Closest over the longest run
See the 1997 New South Wales, Australia ranking
Melanie vs Vanessa
Across 27 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Melanie and Vanessa averaged 10.8 places apart, ending at #84 and #91.
Melanie · Vanessa · 27 shared years, 1967–1993 · Closest over the longest run
See the 1993 New Zealand ranking
Melanie vs Renee
Across 25 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Melanie and Renee averaged 11.2 places apart, ending at #78 and #79.
Melanie · Renee · 25 shared years, 1972–1996 · Closest over the longest run
See the 1996 New South Wales, Australia ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Eileen, Melanie
Field	Eileen	Melanie
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	2	3
Common variants / nicknames	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Recorded regional usage	GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observation	Republic of Ireland · Girls #443 (2025)	Norway · Girls #482 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	88/100	82/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	100/100	100/100
Data Confidence	medium	medium

What the data shows

Eileen has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Melanie.
Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO.

How each name got here

Eileen

Popularity journey

First recorded1945
First recorded at #324 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #17 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #501 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls

Melanie

Popularity journey

First recorded1965
First recorded at #385 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1966–1996
Highest recorded position: #8 among girls in New Zealand, in 1974 (recorded 1966–1996).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #482 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls