Namewise

Hannah vs Megan

Hannah 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 Zealand · Girls

    In 2005, Hannah was ranked #8 and Megan #97 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2004, Hannah was ranked #13 and Megan #91 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Hannah was ranked #21 and Megan #352 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2022, Hannah was ranked #31 and Megan #266 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Hannah was ranked #66 and Megan #384 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Hannah was ranked #105 and Megan #816 among girls in England and Wales.

Hannah and Megan over time

Hannah and Megan appear together in 5 published lists, across 152 years of shared records. Hannah held the stronger position in more years in 5 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, Hannah in 2. 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 1989, Hannah moved ahead of Megan in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #30 and #26 the year before became #21 and #27.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Hannah and Megan changed places 4 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2025, ending at #105 and #816.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 21 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Hannah and Megan averaged 40.9 places apart, ending at #13 and #91.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Hannah and Megan were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #105 and #816.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Hannah #6 in 1996, Megan #3 in 1998.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1996 they stood at #6 and #10 in England and Wales · Girls, 4 places apart; by 2025 they were #105 and #816.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls47 shared years, 1976–2025

    Hannah held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Megan in 13.

    Highest recorded here: Hannah #5 in 2019, Megan #8 in 1998.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Hannah #21, Megan #352.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Hannah held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Megan in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Hannah #6 in 1996, Megan #3 in 1998.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Hannah #105, Megan #816.

  • New Zealand · Girls28 shared years, 1978–2005

    Hannah held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Megan in 5.

    Highest recorded here: Hannah #2 in 1996, Megan #19 in 1981.

    The order changed in 1983: Hannah moved ahead. In 1982 they stood at #29 and #23; by 1983 that had become #28 and #32.

    Most recent shared year, 2005: Hannah #8, Megan #97.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1997–2022

    Hannah held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Megan in 6.

    Highest recorded here: Hannah #6 in 1998, Megan #4 in 2000.

    The order changed in 2004: Hannah moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #10 and #9; by 2004 that had become #12 and #19.

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Hannah #31, Megan #266.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls21 shared years, 1983–2004

    Hannah held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Megan in 6.

    Highest recorded here: Hannah #8 in 1997, Megan #20 in 1987.

    The order changed in 1989: Hannah moved ahead. In 1988 they stood at #30 and #26; by 1989 that had become #21 and #27.

    Most recent shared year, 2004: Hannah #13, Megan #91.

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 Hannah

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

Other comparisons involving Megan

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

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — started together, ended far apart.

All started together, ended far apart→

Other pairs from England and Wales lists

Pairs measured inside England and Wales's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

England and Wales overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Hannah, Megan
FieldHannahMegan
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningCommonly interpreted as 'favour' or 'grace', referring to graciousness.A Welsh diminutive of Margaret that became independently used; only regularly used outside Wales since the mid-20th century.
OriginBiblical HebrewWelsh, diminutive of Margaret
Pronunciation/ˈhænə//ˈmɛɡ.an/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedMeghan, Meagan, Maegan
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #21 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #352 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • Hannah is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Megan is recorded with a Welsh, diminutive of Margaret origin.
  • Hannah and Megan both have 2 syllables.
  • Hannah'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 Hannah 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

Hannah

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #91 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

  2. Highest recorded1978–2023

    Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in New Zealand, in 1996 (recorded 1978–2023).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #105 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Megan

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in England and Wales, in 1998 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #816 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls