Meabh vs Nela
Meabh and Nelacompared 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.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2019, Meabh was ranked #45 and Nela #298 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Meabh was ranked #351 and Nela #638 among girls in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Meabh was ranked #413 and Nela #608 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Meabh was ranked #952 and Nela #751 among girls in England and Wales.
Meabh and Nela over time
Meabh and Nela appear together in 2 published lists, across 34 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.
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
Meabh and Nela changed places 4 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 2007 and 2025, ending at #413 and #608.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Meabh #76 in 2017, Nela #296 in 2019.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls18 shared years, 2007–2025
Meabh held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Nela in 4.
Highest recorded here: Meabh #76 in 2017, Nela #296 in 2019.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Meabh #413, Nela #608.
England and Wales · Girls16 shared years, 2006–2024
Meabh held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Nela in 15.
Highest recorded here: Meabh #952 in 2024, Nela #513 in 2019.
The order changed in 2007: Nela moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #2781 and #4157; by 2007 that had become #5201 and #1741.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Meabh #952, Nela #751.
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 Meabh
Pairs where Meabh shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Meabh vs Taylor
Meabh and Taylor changed places 16 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1993 and 2025, ending at #413 and #443.
Meabh · Taylor · 33 shared years, 1993–2025 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
- Meabh vs Lara
Meabh and Lara changed places 14 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1976 and 2025, ending at #413 and #102.
Meabh · Lara · 48 shared years, 1976–2025 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
- Annie vs Meabh
Annie and Meabh changed places 12 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1976 and 2025, ending at #33 and #413.
Annie · Meabh · 48 shared years, 1976–2025 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
- Isla vs Meabh
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Isla #1 in 2023, Meabh #17 in 2024.
Isla · Meabh · 21 shared years, 2004–2024 · Peaked in the same years
Side by side
| Field | Meabh | Nela |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | The modern Irish form of the older name Medb (Anglicised 'Maeve'), traditionally associated with the mythological warrior-queen of Connacht in the Ulster Cycle. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Irish | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈmʲeːw/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #413 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #608 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Meabh has a recorded origin (Irish); Nela does not have one recorded yet.
- Meabh has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Nela.
- A meaning is recorded for Meabh; Nela doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
How each name got here
Meabh
Popularity journey
First recorded1976
First recorded at #392 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1976 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #17 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2024 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #413 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Nela
Popularity journey
First recorded2005
First recorded at #3382 among girls in England and Wales in 2005 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Girls
Highest recorded2007–2025
Highest recorded position: #296 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2019 (recorded 2007–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #608 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls