Namewise

Megan vs Natasha

Megan and Natashacompared 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 South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2004, Megan was ranked #91 and Natasha #61 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2005, Megan was ranked #97 and Natasha #82 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2019, Megan was ranked #144 and Natasha #336 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Megan was ranked #372 and Natasha #736 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Megan was ranked #816 and Natasha #1362 among girls in England and Wales.

Megan and Natasha over time

Megan and Natasha appear together in 5 published lists, across 164 years of shared records. Megan held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Natasha in 1.

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.

Natasha reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Megan in 2. 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 moved ahead of the other

    In 1989, Natasha moved ahead of Megan in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #26 and #31 the year before became #27 and #25.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Megan and Natasha changed places 5 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1971 and 2005, ending at #97 and #82.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 33 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Megan and Natasha averaged 16.7 places apart, ending at #91 and #61.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Megan and Natasha were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #816 and #1362.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Megan #3 in 1998, Natasha #33 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls45 shared years, 1976–2024

    Megan held the stronger position in 35 of those years, Natasha in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Megan #8 in 1998, Natasha #69 in 1996.

    The order changed in 1989: Megan moved ahead. In 1988 they stood at #110 and #81; by 1989 that had become #89 and #90.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Megan #372, Natasha #736.

  • New Zealand · Girls35 shared years, 1971–2005

    Megan held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Natasha in 24.

    Highest recorded here: Megan #18 in 1974, Natasha #8 in 1976.

    The order changed in 2005: Natasha moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #84 and #85; by 2005 that had become #97 and #82.

    Most recent shared year, 2005: Megan #97, Natasha #82.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls33 shared years, 1971–2004

    Megan held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Natasha in 15.

    Highest recorded here: Megan #20 in 1987, Natasha #23 in 1992.

    The order changed in 1989: Natasha moved ahead. In 1988 they stood at #26 and #31; by 1989 that had become #27 and #25.

    Most recent shared year, 2004: Megan #91, Natasha #61.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Megan held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Natasha in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Megan #3 in 1998, Natasha #33 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Megan #816, Natasha #1362.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls21 shared years, 1997–2019

    Megan held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Natasha in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Megan #4 in 2000, Natasha #34 in 1998.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2019: Megan #144, Natasha #336.

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 Megan

Pairs where Megan shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Natasha

Pairs where Natasha shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — closest over the longest run.

All closest over the longest run→

Other pairs from New Zealand lists

Pairs measured inside New Zealand's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New Zealand overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2000s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2000 and 2009.

The 2000s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Megan, Natasha
FieldMeganNatasha
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningA Welsh diminutive of Margaret that became independently used; only regularly used outside Wales since the mid-20th century.Not yet recorded
OriginWelsh, diminutive of MargaretNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈmɛɡ.an/Not yet recorded
Syllables23
Common variants / nicknamesMeghan, Meagan, MaeganNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #352 (2025)England and Wales · Girls #1362 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

What the data shows

  • Megan has a recorded origin (Welsh, diminutive of Margaret); Natasha does not have one recorded yet.
  • Megan has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Natasha.
  • A meaning is recorded for Megan; Natasha doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Megan a "high" Data Confidence level and Natasha a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

Megan

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1958

    First recorded at #98 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1958 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in England and Wales, in 1998 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #816 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Natasha

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1965

    First recorded at #385 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1971–2005

    Highest recorded position: #8 among girls in New Zealand, in 1976 (recorded 1971–2005).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1362 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls