Jane vs Meghan
Jane and Meghancompared 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, Jane was ranked #213 and Meghan #885 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2020, Jane was ranked #333 and Meghan #397 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Jane was ranked #1160 and Meghan #2000 among girls in England and Wales.
Jane and Meghan over time
Jane and Meghan appear together in 3 published lists, across 90 years of shared records. Jane held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Meghan in 1.
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.
Meghan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Jane 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
Jane and Meghan changed places 8 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2020, ending at #333 and #397.
- Longest-running competitions
Jane and Meghan were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 40 years, from 1985 to 2025, ending at #213 and #885.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Jane #316 in 1996, Meghan #237 in 1998.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls40 shared years, 1985–2025
Jane held the stronger position in 40 of those years, Meghan in 0.
Highest recorded here: Jane #62 in 1997, Meghan #150 in 1994.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jane #213, Meghan #885.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Jane held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Meghan in 25.
Highest recorded here: Jane #316 in 1996, Meghan #237 in 1998.
The order changed in 2022: Jane moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #2341 and #1286; by 2022 that had become #1023 and #1685.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jane #1160, Meghan #2000.
Northern Ireland · Girls21 shared years, 1997–2020
Jane held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Meghan in 5.
Highest recorded here: Jane #80 in 2000, Meghan #119 in 1999.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Jane #333, Meghan #397.
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 | Jane | Meghan |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #213 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #885 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Jane and Meghan both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
Jane
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #246 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1952–1984
Highest recorded position: #25 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1966 (recorded 1952–1984).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #213 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Meghan
Popularity journey
First recorded1985
First recorded at #519 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1985 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1997–2020
Highest recorded position: #119 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 1999 (recorded 1997–2020).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #885 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls