Maebh vs Melissa
Maebh 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.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Maebh was ranked #483 and Melissa #173 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2023, Maebh was ranked #4056 and Melissa #240 among girls in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2018, Maebh was ranked #361 and Melissa #361 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Maebh and Melissa over time
Maebh and Melissa appear together in 3 published lists, across 77 years of shared records. Melissa held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Maebh in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Melissa reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Maebh 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Maebh and Melissa changed places 4 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1979 and 2025, ending at #483 and #173.
- Longest-running competitions
Maebh and Melissa were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 46 years, from 1979 to 2025, ending at #483 and #173.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls46 shared years, 1979–2025
Maebh held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Melissa in 42.
Highest recorded here: Maebh #201 in 2009, Melissa #48 in 1984.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Maebh #483, Melissa #173.
England and Wales · Girls18 shared years, 2004–2023
Maebh held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Melissa in 18.
Highest recorded here: Maebh #2659 in 2014, Melissa #83 in 2004.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Maebh #4056, Melissa #240.
Northern Ireland · Girls13 shared years, 1999–2018
Maebh held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Melissa in 12.
Highest recorded here: Maebh #203 in 2006, Melissa #78 in 1999.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Maebh #361, Melissa #361.
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 Melissa
Pairs where Melissa shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Melissa vs Courtney
In 1996 they stood at #46 and #52 in England and Wales · Girls, 6 places apart; by 2024 they were #280 and #1894.
Melissa · Courtney · 29 shared years, 1996–2024 · Started together, ended far apart
- Melissa vs Louise
In 1996 they stood at #46 and #44 in England and Wales · Girls, 2 places apart; by 2024 they were #280 and #952.
Melissa · Louise · 29 shared years, 1996–2024 · Started together, ended far apart
- Olivia vs Melissa
In 1997 they stood at #46 and #43 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 3 places apart; by 2023 they were #5 and #328.
Olivia · Melissa · 26 shared years, 1997–2023 · Started together, ended far apart
- Melissa vs Kathleen
Melissa and Kathleen changed places 19 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1964 and 2025, ending at #173 and #352.
Melissa · Kathleen · 61 shared years, 1964–2025 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
Side by side
| Field | Maebh | Melissa |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | 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 | Not yet recorded | Greek |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /mə.ˈlɪs.ə/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #483 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #173 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Melissa has a recorded origin (Greek); Maebh does not have one recorded yet.
- Maebh has 1 syllable, compared with 3 for Melissa.
- A meaning is recorded for Melissa; Maebh doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
Maebh
Popularity journey
First recorded1979
First recorded at #420 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1979 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1979–2025
Highest recorded position: #201 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2009 (recorded 1979–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #483 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · 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