Namewise

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 2025, Megan was ranked #816 and Niamh #208 among girls in England and Wales.

Megan and Niamh over time

Megan and Niamh appear together in 3 published lists, across 103 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 England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #816 and #208.

  • 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 · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Megan held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Niamh in 7.

    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, 2025: Megan #816, Niamh #208.

  • 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.

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 Niamh

Pairs where Niamh 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 — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

Other pairs from Northern Ireland lists

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

Northern Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Megan, Niamh
FieldMeganNiamh
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningA 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.
OriginWelsh, diminutive of MargaretIrish (mythological)
Pronunciation/ˈmɛɡ.an//ˈnʲiːvˠ/
Syllables21
Common variants / nicknamesMeghan, Meagan, MaeganNeve, Níam
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #352 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #90 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighhigh

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

  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

Niamh

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1993 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #208 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls