Finlay vs Meabh
Finlay and Meabhcompared 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 2000, Finlay was ranked #348 and Meabh #127 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2018, Finlay was ranked #4684 and Meabh #1711 among girls in England and Wales.
Finlay and Meabh over time
Finlay and Meabh appear together in 1 published list, across 9 years of shared records. Finlay held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Meabh 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.
Finlay reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Meabh 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
England and Wales · Girls9 shared years, 1999–2018
Finlay held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Meabh in 4.
Highest recorded here: Finlay #752 in 1999, Meabh #1711 in 2018.
The order changed in 2011: Meabh moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #2627 and #5201; by 2011 that had become #5785 and #4049.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Finlay #4684, Meabh #1711.
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 Meabh
Pairs where Meabh shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Meabh vs Taylor
Meabh and Taylor changed places 16 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1993 and 2025, ending at #413 and #443.
Meabh · Taylor · 33 shared years, 1993–2025 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
- Meabh vs Lara
Meabh and Lara changed places 14 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1976 and 2025, ending at #413 and #102.
Meabh · Lara · 48 shared years, 1976–2025 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
- Annie vs Meabh
Annie and Meabh changed places 12 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1976 and 2025, ending at #33 and #413.
Annie · Meabh · 48 shared years, 1976–2025 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
- Isla vs Meabh
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Isla #1 in 2023, Meabh #17 in 2024.
Isla · Meabh · 21 shared years, 2004–2024 · Peaked in the same years
Side by side
| Field | Finlay | Meabh |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | The modern Irish form of the older name Medb (Anglicised 'Maeve'), traditionally associated with the mythological warrior-queen of Connacht in the Ulster Cycle. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Irish |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈmʲeːw/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #372 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #413 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Meabh has a recorded origin (Irish); Finlay does not have one recorded yet.
- Finlay has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Meabh.
- A meaning is recorded for Meabh; Finlay doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
How each name got here
Finlay
Popularity journey
First recorded1996
First recorded at #1646 among girls in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Girls
Highest recorded2024–2024
Highest recorded position: #11 among boys in Scotland, in 2024 (recorded 2024–2024).
Scotland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #372 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Meabh
Popularity journey
First recorded1976
First recorded at #392 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1976 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #17 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2024 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #413 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls