Lucy vs Melissa
Lucy 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 2002, Lucy was ranked #15 and Melissa #69 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Lucy was ranked #16 and Melissa #173 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Lucy was ranked #28 and Melissa #541 among girls in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2000, Lucy was ranked #35 and Melissa #92 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2023, Lucy was ranked #39 and Melissa #328 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Lucy was ranked #123 and Melissa #280 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Lucy was ranked #296 and Melissa #268 among girls in Norway.
Lucy and Melissa over time
Lucy and Melissa appear together in 6 published lists, across 185 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
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.
Melissa reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 6 of those lists, and Lucy 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 took the other's place near the top
In New Zealand · Girls, Lucy moved into the top 50 at #32 in 1996 as Melissa fell out of it to #53, having been #34 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1997, Lucy moved ahead of Melissa in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #45 and #39 the year before became #51 and #52.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Lucy and Melissa changed places 4 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1964 and 2025, ending at #16 and #173.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 22 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Lucy and Melissa averaged 45.1 places apart, ending at #15 and #69.
- Longest-running competitions
Lucy and Melissa were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 31 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #296 and #268.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1997 they stood at #37 and #43 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 6 places apart; by 2023 they were #39 and #328.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls61 shared years, 1964–2025
Lucy held the stronger position in 36 of those years, Melissa in 24.
Highest recorded here: Lucy #3 in 2016, Melissa #48 in 1984.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lucy #16, Melissa #173.
Norway · Girls31 shared years, 1964–2025
Lucy held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Melissa in 29.
Highest recorded here: Lucy #212 in 2018, Melissa #141 in 2012.
The order changed in 2019: Melissa moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #212 and #214; by 2019 that had become #317 and #215.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lucy #296, Melissa #268.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Lucy held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Melissa in 0.
Highest recorded here: Lucy #7 in 2003, Melissa #46 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Lucy #123, Melissa #280.
Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1997–2023
Lucy held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Melissa in 0.
Highest recorded here: Lucy #4 in 2007, Melissa #43 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Lucy #39, Melissa #328.
New Zealand · Girls22 shared years, 1979–2002
Lucy held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Melissa in 15.
Highest recorded here: Lucy #15 in 2002, Melissa #7 in 1984.
The order changed in 1996: Lucy moved ahead. In 1995 they stood at #47 and #34; by 1996 that had become #32 and #53.
Most recent shared year, 2002: Lucy #15, Melissa #69.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls16 shared years, 1985–2000
Lucy held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Melissa in 12.
Highest recorded here: Lucy #35 in 2000, Melissa #5 in 1985.
The order changed in 1997: Lucy moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #45 and #39; by 1997 that had become #51 and #52.
Most recent shared year, 2000: Lucy #35, Melissa #92.
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 | Lucy | Melissa |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | The English form of Lucia, from Latin 'lux' meaning 'light'. In use since the Middle Ages. | 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 | Latin | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ˈluː.si/ | /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 | Republic of Ireland · Girls #16 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #173 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Lucy is recorded with a Latin origin, while Melissa is recorded with a Greek origin.
- Lucy has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Melissa.
- Lucy'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
Lucy
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #523 among girls in Norway in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2016 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #32 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · 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 #268 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls