Megan vs Niamh
Megan and Niamhcompared 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 2022, Megan was ranked #266 and Niamh #26 among girls in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2000, Megan was ranked #52 and Niamh #94 among girls in New Zealand.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Megan was ranked #384 and Niamh #76 among girls in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Megan was ranked #352 and Niamh #90 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Megan was ranked #503 and Niamh #193 among girls in England and Wales.
Megan and Niamh over time
Megan and Niamh appear together in 3 published lists, across 102 years of shared records. Niamh held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Megan 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.
Megan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Niamh in 1. 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 2019, Niamh moved ahead of Megan in England and Wales · Girls — #126 and #128 the year before became #184 and #131.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 26 shared years in Northern Ireland · Girls, Megan and Niamh averaged 44.7 places apart, ending at #266 and #26.
- Longest-running competitions
Megan and Niamh were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 47 years, from 1976 to 2025, ending at #352 and #90.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Megan #3 in 1998, Niamh #40 in 2000.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1997 they stood at #6 and #11 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2022 they were #266 and #26.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls47 shared years, 1976–2025
Megan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Niamh in 47.
Highest recorded here: Megan #8 in 1998, Niamh #2 in 1993.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Megan #352, Niamh #90.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Megan held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Niamh in 6.
Highest recorded here: Megan #3 in 1998, Niamh #40 in 2000.
The order changed in 2019: Niamh moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #126 and #128; by 2019 that had become #184 and #131.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Megan #503, Niamh #193.
Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1997–2022
Megan held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Niamh in 19.
Highest recorded here: Megan #4 in 2000, Niamh #5 in 2005.
The order changed in 2004: Niamh moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #9 and #14; by 2004 that had become #19 and #7.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Megan #266, Niamh #26.
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 | Niamh |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | A Welsh diminutive of Margaret that became independently used; only regularly used outside Wales since the mid-20th century. | Traditionally interpreted as 'bright' or 'radiant'. In Irish mythology, Niamh was daughter of the sea god Manannán mac Lir, who fell in love with the poet Oisín. |
| Origin | Welsh, diminutive of Margaret | Irish (mythological) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈmɛɡ.an/ | /ˈnʲiːvˠ/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Meghan, Meagan, Maegan | Neve, Níam |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #352 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #90 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | high |
What the data shows
- Megan is recorded with a Welsh, diminutive of Margaret origin, while Niamh is recorded with a Irish (mythological) origin.
- Megan has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Niamh.
- Megan's recorded meaning differs from Niamh's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
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 recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in England and Wales, in 1998 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #352 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Niamh
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #109 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1993 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #90 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls