Meabh vs Raya
Meabh and Rayacompared 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 2024, Meabh was ranked #17 and Raya #70 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Meabh was ranked #952 and Raya #82 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Meabh was ranked #413 and Raya #99 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Meabh was ranked #351 and Raya #117 among girls in Scotland.
Meabh and Raya over time
Meabh and Raya appear together in 3 published lists, across 40 years of shared records. Meabh held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Raya 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.
Meabh reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Raya 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.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Meabh #952 in 2024, Raya #82 in 2024.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls19 shared years, 1999–2024
Meabh held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Raya in 17.
Highest recorded here: Meabh #952 in 2024, Raya #82 in 2024.
The order changed in 2003: Raya moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #2868 and #3409; by 2003 that had become #4373 and #1472.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Meabh #952, Raya #82.
Republic of Ireland · Girls11 shared years, 2010–2025
Meabh held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Raya in 3.
Highest recorded here: Meabh #82 in 2016, Raya #99 in 2025.
The order changed in 2021: Raya moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #444 and #700; by 2021 that had become #299 and #299.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Meabh #413, Raya #99.
Northern Ireland · Girls10 shared years, 2014–2024
Meabh held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Raya in 0.
Highest recorded here: Meabh #17 in 2024, Raya #70 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Meabh #17, Raya #70.
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 | Meabh | Raya |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 1 |
| 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 #99 (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); Raya does not have one recorded yet.
- Meabh and Raya both have 1 syllable.
- A meaning is recorded for Meabh; Raya 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
Raya
Popularity journey
First recorded1996
First recorded at #2350 among girls in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Girls
Highest recorded2014–2024
Highest recorded position: #70 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2024 (recorded 2014–2024).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #99 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls