Ellie vs Megan
Ellie 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 2025, Ellie was ranked #15 and Megan #352 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2022, Ellie was ranked #24 and Megan #266 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Ellie was ranked #35 and Megan #384 among girls in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2004, Ellie was ranked #73 and Megan #91 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Ellie was ranked #119 and Megan #816 among girls in England and Wales.
Ellie and Megan over time
Ellie and Megan appear together in 3 published lists, across 90 years of shared records. Ellie held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Megan in 0.
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.
Megan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Ellie 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 2011, Ellie moved ahead of Megan in England and Wales · Girls — #29 and #23 the year before became #28 and #29.
- Mirrored each other
Over 34 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Ellie rose about as far as Megan fell — from #488 and #181 in 1987 to #15 and #352 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Ellie and Megan were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #119 and #816.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls34 shared years, 1987–2025
Ellie held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Megan in 17.
Highest recorded here: Ellie #6 in 2023, Megan #8 in 1998.
The order changed in 2010: Ellie moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #36 and #33; by 2010 that had become #28 and #37.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ellie #15, Megan #352.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Ellie held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Megan in 9.
Highest recorded here: Ellie #2 in 2003, Megan #3 in 1998.
The order changed in 2011: Ellie moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #29 and #23; by 2011 that had become #28 and #29.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ellie #119, Megan #816.
Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1997–2022
Ellie held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Megan in 6.
Highest recorded here: Ellie #3 in 2005, Megan #4 in 2000.
The order changed in 2003: Ellie moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #18 and #4; by 2003 that had become #6 and #9.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Ellie #24, 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 | Ellie | Megan |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | A diminutive of several longer names, particularly Eleanor, Ellen and Elizabeth. | A Welsh diminutive of Margaret that became independently used; only regularly used outside Wales since the mid-20th century. |
| Origin | Various, diminutive form | Welsh, diminutive of Margaret |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛl.i/ | /ˈmɛɡ.an/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 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 | Republic of Ireland · Girls #15 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #352 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Ellie is recorded with a Various, diminutive form origin, while Megan is recorded with a Welsh, diminutive of Margaret origin.
- Ellie and Megan both have 2 syllables.
- Ellie'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 Ellie 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
Ellie
Popularity journey
First recorded1987
First recorded at #488 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1987 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in England and Wales, in 2003 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #119 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