Namewise

Kathleen vs Melissa

Kathleen 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 Zealand · Girls

    In 1984, Kathleen was ranked #100 and Melissa #7 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1990, Kathleen was ranked #94 and Melissa #12 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Kathleen was ranked #352 and Melissa #173 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Kathleen was ranked #997 and Melissa #321 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2023, Kathleen was ranked #391 and Melissa #328 among girls in Northern Ireland.

Kathleen and Melissa over time

Kathleen and Melissa appear together in 4 published lists, across 140 years of shared records. Melissa held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Kathleen in 1.

The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Kathleen reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 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 1965, Melissa moved ahead of Kathleen in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #46 and #51 the year before became #46 and #41.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Kathleen and Melissa changed places 4 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2023, ending at #391 and #328.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 26 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Kathleen and Melissa averaged 59.7 places apart, ending at #94 and #12.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 26 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Melissa rose about as far as Kathleen fell — from #41 and #78 in 1962 to #94 and #12 in 1990.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Kathleen and Melissa were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #997 and #321.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Kathleen #227 in 1996, Melissa #46 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls61 shared years, 1964–2025

    Kathleen held the stronger position in 33 of those years, Melissa in 25.

    Highest recorded here: Kathleen #18 in 1965, Melissa #48 in 1984.

    The order changed in 2025: Melissa moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #197 and #342; by 2025 that had become #352 and #173.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Kathleen #352, Melissa #173.

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

    Kathleen held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Melissa in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Kathleen #227 in 1996, Melissa #46 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Kathleen #997, Melissa #321.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls26 shared years, 1962–1990

    Kathleen held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Melissa in 23.

    Highest recorded here: Kathleen #38 in 1963, Melissa #2 in 1977.

    The order changed in 1965: Melissa moved ahead. In 1964 they stood at #46 and #51; by 1965 that had become #46 and #41.

    Most recent shared year, 1990: Kathleen #94, Melissa #12.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls23 shared years, 1997–2023

    Kathleen held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Melissa in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Kathleen #112 in 1997, Melissa #43 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Kathleen #391, Melissa #328.

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 Kathleen

Pairs where Kathleen 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 — repeatedly exchanged positions.

All repeatedly exchanged positions→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

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

Republic of Ireland 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 Kathleen, Melissa
FieldKathleenMelissa
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
Pronunciation/mə.ˈlɪs.ə/
Syllables23
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #352 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #173 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)76/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Melissa has a recorded origin (Greek); Kathleen does not have one recorded yet.
  • Kathleen has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Melissa.
  • A meaning is recorded for Melissa; Kathleen doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Kathleen

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #29 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #18 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1965 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #997 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