Jessica vs Megan
Jessica 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 South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2004, Jessica was ranked #4 and Megan #91 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2005, Jessica was ranked #5 and Megan #97 among girls in New Zealand.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Jessica was ranked #48 and Megan #384 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2022, Jessica was ranked #62 and Megan #266 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Jessica was ranked #139 and Megan #816 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Jessica was ranked #141 and Megan #352 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Jessica and Megan over time
Jessica and Megan appear together in 5 published lists, across 160 years of shared records. Jessica 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, Jessica 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 1980, Jessica moved ahead of Megan in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #36 and #33 the year before became #33 and #37.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Jessica and Megan changed places 4 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1976 and 2025, ending at #141 and #352.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Jessica and Megan averaged 40.4 places apart, ending at #4 and #91.
- Longest-running competitions
Jessica and Megan were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #139 and #816.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #3 and #10 in England and Wales · Girls, 7 places apart; by 2025 they were #139 and #816.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls47 shared years, 1976–2025
Jessica held the stronger position in 37 of those years, Megan in 10.
Highest recorded here: Jessica #12 in 1995, Megan #8 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jessica #141, Megan #352.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Jessica held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Megan in 4.
Highest recorded here: Jessica #1 in 2005, Megan #3 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jessica #139, Megan #816.
New Zealand · Girls29 shared years, 1977–2005
Jessica held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Megan in 2.
Highest recorded here: Jessica #1 in 1990, Megan #19 in 1981.
The order changed in 1979: Jessica moved ahead. In 1978 they stood at #26 and #22; by 1979 that had become #12 and #22.
Most recent shared year, 2005: Jessica #5, Megan #97.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls28 shared years, 1976–2004
Jessica held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Megan in 4.
Highest recorded here: Jessica #1 in 1984, Megan #20 in 1987.
The order changed in 1980: Jessica moved ahead. In 1979 they stood at #36 and #33; by 1980 that had become #33 and #37.
Most recent shared year, 2004: Jessica #4, Megan #91.
Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1997–2022
Jessica held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Megan in 7.
Highest recorded here: Jessica #4 in 2008, Megan #4 in 2000.
The order changed in 2004: Jessica moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #21 and #9; by 2004 that had become #14 and #19.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Jessica #62, 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 | Jessica | Megan |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Coined by William Shakespeare for his 1596 play The Merchant of Venice, where it belongs to Shylock's daughter — likely based on the biblical name Iscah, also spelled Jescha/Jischa in some translations of Shakespeare's time. | A Welsh diminutive of Margaret that became independently used; only regularly used outside Wales since the mid-20th century. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew, via a Shakespearean literary coinage | Welsh, diminutive of Margaret |
| Pronunciation | /ˈd͡ʒɛs.ɪ.kə/ | /ˈmɛɡ.an/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 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 | England and Wales · Girls #139 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #352 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Jessica is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via a Shakespearean literary coinage origin, while Megan is recorded with a Welsh, diminutive of Margaret origin.
- Jessica has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Megan.
- Jessica'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 Jessica 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
Jessica
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #471 among girls in Norway in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2005 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #139 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