Elizabeth vs Megan
Elizabeth 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.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2004, Elizabeth was ranked #37 and Megan #91 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2005, Elizabeth was ranked #38 and Megan #97 among girls in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Elizabeth was ranked #74 and Megan #816 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Elizabeth was ranked #76 and Megan #352 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Elizabeth was ranked #113 and Megan #384 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2022, Elizabeth was ranked #147 and Megan #266 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Elizabeth and Megan over time
Elizabeth and Megan appear together in 5 published lists, across 193 years of shared records. Megan held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Elizabeth in 2.
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.
Elizabeth reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 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 moved ahead of the other
In 2012, Elizabeth moved ahead of Megan in England and Wales · Girls — #44 and #29 the year before became #38 and #41.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Elizabeth and Megan changed places 12 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1962 and 2005, ending at #38 and #97.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 46 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Elizabeth and Megan averaged 29.3 places apart, ending at #37 and #91.
- Longest-running competitions
Elizabeth and Megan were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #74 and #816.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Elizabeth #26 in 1996, Megan #3 in 1998.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls47 shared years, 1976–2025
Elizabeth held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Megan in 25.
Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #12 in 1976, Megan #8 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Elizabeth #76, Megan #352.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls46 shared years, 1958–2004
Elizabeth held the stronger position in 46 of those years, Megan in 0.
Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #13 in 1963, Megan #20 in 1987.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2004: Elizabeth #37, Megan #91.
New Zealand · Girls44 shared years, 1962–2005
Elizabeth held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Megan in 12.
Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #14 in 1962, Megan #18 in 1974.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2005: Elizabeth #38, Megan #97.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Elizabeth held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Megan in 16.
Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #26 in 1996, Megan #3 in 1998.
The order changed in 2012: Elizabeth moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #44 and #29; by 2012 that had become #38 and #41.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Elizabeth #74, Megan #816.
Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1997–2022
Elizabeth held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Megan in 21.
Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #55 in 1997, Megan #4 in 2000.
The order changed in 2018: Elizabeth moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #110 and #91; by 2018 that had become #101 and #130.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Elizabeth #147, Megan #266.
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 | Elizabeth | Megan |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | From the Greek Elisabet, from Hebrew Elisheva, combining 'el' (God) with 'shava' ('oath') — 'my God is an oath'. Appears in the Old Testament as Elisheba, Aaron's wife, and in the New Testament as the mother of John the Baptist. | A Welsh diminutive of Margaret that became independently used; only regularly used outside Wales since the mid-20th century. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Welsh, diminutive of Margaret |
| Pronunciation | /ɪ.ˈlɪz.ə.bəθ/ | /ˈmɛɡ.an/ |
| Syllables | 4 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Meghan, Meagan, Maegan |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Girls #74 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #352 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 65/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 70/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Elizabeth is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Megan is recorded with a Welsh, diminutive of Margaret origin.
- Elizabeth has 4 syllables, compared with 2 for Megan.
- Elizabeth's recorded meaning differs from Megan's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Elizabeth 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
Elizabeth
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #341 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: #5 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1969 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #74 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · 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