Megan vs Neasa
Megan and Neasacompared 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 2020, Megan was ranked #149 and Neasa #333 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2019, Megan was ranked #184 and Neasa #4686 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Megan was ranked #352 and Neasa #443 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Megan and Neasa over time
Megan and Neasa appear together in 1 published list, across 46 years of shared records. Megan held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Neasa 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.
Megan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Neasa 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.
- Longest-running competitions
Megan and Neasa were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 46 years, from 1976 to 2025, ending at #352 and #443.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls46 shared years, 1976–2025
Megan held the stronger position in 39 of those years, Neasa in 7.
Highest recorded here: Megan #8 in 1998, Neasa #222 in 2022.
The order changed in 2023: Megan moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #266 and #222; by 2023 that had become #212 and #495.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Megan #352, Neasa #443.
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 | Megan | Neasa |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | A Welsh diminutive of Margaret that became independently used; only regularly used outside Wales since the mid-20th century. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Welsh, diminutive of Margaret | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈmɛɡ.an/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Meghan, Meagan, Maegan | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #352 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #443 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Megan has a recorded origin (Welsh, diminutive of Margaret); Neasa does not have one recorded yet.
- Megan and Neasa both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Megan; Neasa doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
- The available evidence gives Megan a "high" Data Confidence level and Neasa 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
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
Highest recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in England and Wales, in 1998 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #816 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Neasa
Popularity journey
First recorded1965
First recorded at #325 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
Highest recorded1965–2025
Highest recorded position: #222 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2022 (recorded 1965–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #443 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls