Namewise

Karen vs Melissa

Karen 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 1986, Karen was ranked #98 and Melissa #7 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1986, Karen was ranked #100 and Melissa #8 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2010, Karen was ranked #430 and Melissa #194 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2019, Karen was ranked #871 and Melissa #247 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Karen was ranked #442 and Melissa #268 among girls in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Karen was ranked #2440 and Melissa #321 among girls in England and Wales.

Karen and Melissa over time

Karen and Melissa appear together in 6 published lists, across 193 years of shared records. Melissa held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Karen in 2.

The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Karen 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 1973, Melissa moved ahead of Karen in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #4 and #7 the year before became #6 and #4.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Karen and Melissa changed places 5 times in Norway · Girls between 1964 and 2025, ending at #442 and #268.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 25 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Karen and Melissa averaged 30.8 places apart, ending at #98 and #7.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Karen and Melissa were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 53 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #442 and #268.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Karen #417 in 1996, Melissa #46 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls55 shared years, 1964–2019

    Karen held the stronger position in 37 of those years, Melissa in 18.

    Highest recorded here: Karen #5 in 1977, Melissa #48 in 1984.

    The order changed in 2004: Melissa moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #132 and #189; by 2004 that had become #174 and #130.

    Most recent shared year, 2019: Karen #871, Melissa #247.

  • Norway · Girls53 shared years, 1964–2025

    Karen held the stronger position in 43 of those years, Melissa in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Karen #72 in 1997, Melissa #141 in 2012.

    The order changed in 2020: Melissa moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #213 and #215; by 2020 that had become #294 and #168.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Karen #442, Melissa #268.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2025

    Karen held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Melissa in 29.

    Highest recorded here: Karen #417 in 1996, Melissa #46 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Karen #2440, Melissa #321.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls25 shared years, 1962–1986

    Karen held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Melissa in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Karen #1 in 1963, Melissa #2 in 1977.

    The order changed in 1973: Melissa moved ahead. In 1972 they stood at #4 and #7; by 1973 that had become #6 and #4.

    Most recent shared year, 1986: Karen #98, Melissa #7.

  • New Zealand · Girls20 shared years, 1967–1986

    Karen held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Melissa in 11.

    Highest recorded here: Karen #1 in 1967, Melissa #7 in 1984.

    The order changed in 1976: Melissa moved ahead. In 1975 they stood at #14 and #33; by 1976 that had become #16 and #12.

    Most recent shared year, 1986: Karen #100, Melissa #8.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls11 shared years, 1997–2010

    Karen held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Melissa in 11.

    Highest recorded here: Karen #133 in 1997, Melissa #43 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2010: Karen #430, Melissa #194.

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 Karen

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

Other comparisons involving Melissa

Pairs where Melissa 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 — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

Other pairs from New South Wales, Australia lists

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

New South Wales, Australia overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 1980s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1980 and 1989.

The 1980s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Karen, Melissa
FieldKarenMelissa
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedMeans '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.
OriginNot yet recordedGreek
PronunciationNot yet recorded/mə.ˈlɪs.ə/
Syllables23
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Girls #442 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #173 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Melissa has a recorded origin (Greek); Karen does not have one recorded yet.
  • Karen has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Melissa.
  • A meaning is recorded for Melissa; Karen doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Karen

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #70 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1952–1986

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1963 (recorded 1952–1986).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #2440 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Melissa

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1962–2000

    Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1977 (recorded 1962–2000).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #321 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls