Jennifer vs Melissa
Jennifer and Melissacompared 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 2000, Jennifer was ranked #63 and Melissa #92 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2002, Jennifer was ranked #91 and Melissa #69 among girls in New Zealand.
Norway · Girls
In 2020, Jennifer was ranked #493 and Melissa #168 among girls in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Jennifer was ranked #413 and Melissa #173 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2022, Jennifer was ranked #354 and Melissa #266 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Jennifer was ranked #650 and Melissa #321 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Jennifer was ranked #384 and Melissa #541 among girls in Scotland.
Jennifer and Melissa over time
Jennifer and Melissa appear together in 6 published lists, across 233 years of shared records. Melissa held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Jennifer in 1.
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.
Jennifer reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Melissa 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 1972, Melissa moved ahead of Jennifer in New Zealand · Girls — #31 and #45 the year before became #30 and #26.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Jennifer and Melissa changed places 6 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2025, ending at #650 and #321.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 39 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Jennifer and Melissa averaged 20.3 places apart, ending at #63 and #92.
- Longest-running competitions
Jennifer and Melissa were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #650 and #321.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Jennifer #54 in 1996, Melissa #46 in 1996.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #54 and #46 in England and Wales · Girls, 8 places apart; by 2025 they were #650 and #321.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls61 shared years, 1964–2025
Jennifer held the stronger position in 52 of those years, Melissa in 8.
Highest recorded here: Jennifer #4 in 1981, Melissa #48 in 1984.
The order changed in 2017: Melissa moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #148 and #316; by 2017 that had become #211 and #205.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jennifer #413, Melissa #173.
Norway · Girls46 shared years, 1964–2020
Jennifer held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Melissa in 26.
Highest recorded here: Jennifer #187 in 2000, Melissa #141 in 2012.
The order changed in 2003: Melissa moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #201 and #245; by 2003 that had become #251 and #224.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Jennifer #493, Melissa #168.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls39 shared years, 1962–2000
Jennifer held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Melissa in 29.
Highest recorded here: Jennifer #1 in 1962, Melissa #2 in 1977.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2000: Jennifer #63, Melissa #92.
New Zealand · Girls35 shared years, 1967–2002
Jennifer held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Melissa in 30.
Highest recorded here: Jennifer #15 in 1981, Melissa #7 in 1984.
The order changed in 1972: Melissa moved ahead. In 1971 they stood at #31 and #45; by 1972 that had become #30 and #26.
Most recent shared year, 2002: Jennifer #91, Melissa #69.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Jennifer held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Melissa in 24.
Highest recorded here: Jennifer #54 in 1996, Melissa #46 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jennifer #650, Melissa #321.
Northern Ireland · Girls22 shared years, 1997–2022
Jennifer held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Melissa in 16.
Highest recorded here: Jennifer #55 in 1997, Melissa #43 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Jennifer #354, Melissa #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 | Jennifer | Melissa |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | From a Cornish form of the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar (Guinevere), combining 'gwyn' and 'hwyfar'. Confined mainly to Cornwall until George Bernard Shaw's 1906 play The Doctor's Dilemma sparked wider adoption. | Means 'bee' in Greek. Borne in mythology by a daughter of Procles and used as an epithet for various nymphs and priestesses; appears in Ludovico Ariosto's 1532 poem Orlando Furioso. |
| Origin | Welsh, via Cornish transmission | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ˈd͡ʒɛn.ɪ.fəɹ/ | /mə.ˈlɪs.ə/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #413 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #173 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 76/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Jennifer is recorded with a Welsh, via Cornish transmission origin, while Melissa is recorded with a Greek origin.
- Jennifer and Melissa both have 3 syllables.
- Jennifer's recorded meaning differs from Melissa's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Jennifer
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #331 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1952–2003
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1956 (recorded 1952–2003).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #650 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Melissa
Popularity journey
First recorded1962
First recorded at #78 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1962 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1962–2000
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1977 (recorded 1962–2000).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #321 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls