Louise vs Melissa
Louise 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 1995, Louise was ranked #100 and Melissa #33 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1994, Louise was ranked #100 and Melissa #34 among girls in New Zealand.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Louise was ranked #59 and Melissa #268 among girls in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Louise was ranked #213 and Melissa #173 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2017, Louise was ranked #296 and Melissa #355 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Louise was ranked #816 and Melissa #321 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Louise was ranked #476 and Melissa #541 among girls in Scotland.
Louise and Melissa over time
Louise and Melissa appear together in 6 published lists, across 225 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
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.
Louise reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Melissa 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2005, Melissa moved ahead of Louise in England and Wales · Girls — #77 and #83 the year before became #112 and #102.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Louise and Melissa changed places 4 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2017, ending at #296 and #355.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 32 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Louise and Melissa averaged 36.6 places apart, ending at #100 and #33.
- Longest-running competitions
Louise and Melissa were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #816 and #321.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Louise #44 in 1996, Melissa #46 in 1996.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #44 and #46 in England and Wales · Girls, 2 places apart; by 2025 they were #816 and #321.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls61 shared years, 1964–2025
Louise held the stronger position in 52 of those years, Melissa in 9.
Highest recorded here: Louise #5 in 1980, Melissa #48 in 1984.
The order changed in 2025: Melissa moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #294 and #342; by 2025 that had become #213 and #173.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Louise #213, Melissa #173.
Norway · Girls53 shared years, 1964–2025
Louise held the stronger position in 50 of those years, Melissa in 3.
Highest recorded here: Louise #59 in 2025, Melissa #141 in 2012.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Louise #59, Melissa #268.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls32 shared years, 1962–1995
Louise held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Melissa in 26.
Highest recorded here: Louise #23 in 1967, Melissa #2 in 1977.
The order changed in 1968: Melissa moved ahead. In 1967 they stood at #23 and #26; by 1968 that had become #30 and #21.
Most recent shared year, 1995: Louise #100, Melissa #33.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Louise held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Melissa in 24.
Highest recorded here: Louise #44 in 1996, Melissa #46 in 1996.
The order changed in 2005: Melissa moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #77 and #83; by 2005 that had become #112 and #102.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Louise #816, Melissa #321.
New Zealand · Girls28 shared years, 1967–1994
Louise held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Melissa in 24.
Highest recorded here: Louise #27 in 1980, Melissa #7 in 1984.
The order changed in 1971: Melissa moved ahead. In 1970 they stood at #39 and #44; by 1971 that had become #50 and #45.
Most recent shared year, 1994: Louise #100, Melissa #34.
Northern Ireland · Girls21 shared years, 1997–2017
Louise held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Melissa in 7.
Highest recorded here: Louise #33 in 1997, Melissa #43 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2017: Louise #296, Melissa #355.
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 | Louise | Melissa |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | The French feminine form of Louis, from Germanic elements 'hlud' (famous) and 'wig' (warrior) — 'famous warrior'. | 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 | Germanic, via French transmission | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /lu.ˈiz/ | /mə.ˈlɪs.ə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 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 | Norway · Girls #59 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #173 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Louise is recorded with a Germanic, via French transmission origin, while Melissa is recorded with a Greek origin.
- Louise has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Melissa.
- Louise'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
Louise
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #379 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1980 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #816 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