Megan vs Olivia
Megan and Oliviacompared 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.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Megan was ranked #503 and Olivia #1 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Megan was ranked #384 and Olivia #1 among girls in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2004, Megan was ranked #91 and Olivia #2 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2005, Megan was ranked #97 and Olivia #4 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2022, Megan was ranked #266 and Olivia #4 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Megan was ranked #352 and Olivia #8 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Megan and Olivia over time
Megan and Olivia appear together in 5 published lists, across 151 years of shared records. Olivia held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Megan in 0.
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.
Megan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Olivia 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2004, Olivia moved ahead of Megan in England and Wales · Girls — #6 and #8 the year before became #10 and #6.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 20 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Megan and Olivia averaged 43.8 places apart, ending at #91 and #2.
- Longest-running competitions
Megan and Olivia were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 47 years, from 1976 to 2025, ending at #352 and #8.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls47 shared years, 1976–2025
Megan held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Olivia in 25.
Highest recorded here: Megan #8 in 1998, Olivia #7 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Megan #352, Olivia #8.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Megan held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Olivia in 21.
Highest recorded here: Megan #3 in 1998, Olivia #1 in 2008.
The order changed in 2004: Olivia moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #6 and #8; by 2004 that had become #10 and #6.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Megan #503, Olivia #1.
New Zealand · Girls29 shared years, 1977–2005
Megan held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Olivia in 15.
Highest recorded here: Megan #19 in 1981, Olivia #2 in 2000.
The order changed in 1991: Olivia moved ahead. In 1990 they stood at #22 and #35; by 1991 that had become #24 and #17.
Most recent shared year, 2005: Megan #97, Olivia #4.
Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1997–2022
Megan held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Olivia in 16.
Highest recorded here: Megan #4 in 2000, Olivia #3 in 2016.
The order changed in 2007: Olivia moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #22 and #23; by 2007 that had become #29 and #25.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Megan #266, Olivia #4.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls20 shared years, 1978–2004
Megan held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Olivia in 11.
Highest recorded here: Megan #26 in 1988, Olivia #2 in 2004.
The order changed in 1993: Olivia moved ahead. In 1992 they stood at #33 and #37; by 1993 that had become #34 and #33.
Most recent shared year, 2004: Megan #91, Olivia #2.
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 | Olivia |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Commonly interpreted as 'olive tree' or 'symbol of peace'. |
| Origin | Welsh, diminutive of Margaret | Latin |
| Pronunciation | /ˈmɛɡ.an/ | /əˈlɪviə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Meghan, Meagan, Maegan | Olivea, Liv, Livvy, Oliwia |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #352 (2025) | Norway · Girls #2 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 88/100 |
| 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 Olivia is recorded with a Latin origin.
- Megan has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Olivia.
- Megan's recorded meaning differs from Olivia's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, 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
Olivia
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #488 among girls in Norway in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2008 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #3 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls