Meabh vs Shae
Meabh and Shaecompared 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.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Meabh was ranked #351 and Shae #638 among girls in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Meabh was ranked #441 and Shae #898 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Meabh was ranked #1229 and Shae #3705 among girls in England and Wales.
Meabh and Shae over time
Meabh and Shae appear together in 1 published list, across 20 years of shared records. Shae held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Meabh in 0.
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.
Shae reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Meabh 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
Meabh and Shae changed places 5 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1999 and 2025, ending at #1229 and #3705.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls20 shared years, 1999–2025
Meabh held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Shae in 12.
Highest recorded here: Meabh #952 in 2024, Shae #900 in 1999.
The order changed in 2021: Meabh moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #3447 and #2615; by 2021 that had become #1286 and #2711.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Meabh #1229, Shae #3705.
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 | Shae |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | Used for both boys and girls |
| 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) | England and Wales · Boys #1124 (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); Shae does not have one recorded yet.
- Meabh and Shae both have 1 syllable.
- A meaning is recorded for Meabh; Shae 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 #1229 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Shae
Popularity journey
First recorded1996
First recorded at #1755 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 recorded2007–2010
Highest recorded position: #303 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2010 (recorded 2007–2010).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #3705 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls