Namewise

Megan vs Nicole

Megan and Nicolecompared 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 Zealand · Girls

    In 2005, Megan was ranked #97 and Nicole #63 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2002, Megan was ranked #99 and Nicole #94 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2022, Megan was ranked #266 and Nicole #266 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Megan was ranked #352 and Nicole #381 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Megan was ranked #384 and Nicole #638 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Megan was ranked #816 and Nicole #412 among girls in England and Wales.

Megan and Nicole over time

Megan and Nicole appear together in 5 published lists, across 179 years of shared records. Megan held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Nicole in 2.

The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Nicole reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Megan 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 2002, Nicole moved ahead of Megan in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #71 and #95 the year before became #99 and #94.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Megan and Nicole changed places 5 times in New South Wales, Australia · Girls between 1964 and 2002, ending at #99 and #94.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 39 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Megan and Nicole averaged 23.1 places apart, ending at #99 and #94.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Megan and Nicole were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #816 and #412.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Megan #3 in 1998, Nicole #36 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls47 shared years, 1976–2025

    Megan held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Nicole in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Megan #8 in 1998, Nicole #15 in 1996.

    The order changed in 2025: Megan moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #372 and #191; by 2025 that had become #352 and #381.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Megan #352, Nicole #381.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls39 shared years, 1964–2002

    Megan held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Nicole in 34.

    Highest recorded here: Megan #20 in 1987, Nicole #2 in 1975.

    The order changed in 2002: Nicole moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #71 and #95; by 2002 that had become #99 and #94.

    Most recent shared year, 2002: Megan #99, Nicole #94.

  • New Zealand · Girls37 shared years, 1969–2005

    Megan held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Nicole in 20.

    Highest recorded here: Megan #18 in 1974, Nicole #5 in 1987.

    The order changed in 1986: Nicole moved ahead. In 1985 they stood at #30 and #31; by 1986 that had become #31 and #6.

    Most recent shared year, 2005: Megan #97, Nicole #63.

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

    Megan held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Nicole in 5.

    Highest recorded here: Megan #3 in 1998, Nicole #36 in 1996.

    The order changed in 2021: Nicole moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #232 and #279; by 2021 that had become #330 and #260.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Megan #816, Nicole #412.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1997–2022

    Megan held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Nicole in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Megan #4 in 2000, Nicole #14 in 1998.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Megan #266, Nicole #266.

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 Nicole

Pairs where Nicole 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 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, Nicole
FieldMeganNicole
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.The French feminine form of Nicholas, from the Greek elements 'nike' (victory) and 'laos' (people).
OriginWelsh, diminutive of MargaretGreek, via French transmission
Pronunciation/ˈmɛɡ.an//nɪ.ˈkoʊl/
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, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #352 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #381 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

What the data shows

  • Megan is recorded with a Welsh, diminutive of Margaret origin, while Nicole is recorded with a Greek, via French transmission origin.
  • Megan has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Nicole.
  • Megan's recorded meaning differs from Nicole's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Megan a "high" Data Confidence level and Nicole 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

Nicole

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #91 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1964–2002

    Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1975 (recorded 1964–2002).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #412 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls