Megan vs Rebecca
Megan and Rebeccacompared 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 Rebecca #41 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2004, Megan was ranked #91 and Rebecca #76 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Megan was ranked #352 and Rebecca #141 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2022, Megan was ranked #266 and Rebecca #162 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Megan was ranked #384 and Rebecca #431 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Megan was ranked #816 and Rebecca #413 among girls in England and Wales.
Megan and Rebecca over time
Megan and Rebecca appear together in 5 published lists, across 181 years of shared records. Rebecca held the stronger position in more years in 4 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.
Rebecca 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 1969, Rebecca moved ahead of Megan in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #52 and #61 the year before became #44 and #41.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Megan and Rebecca changed places 4 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2025, ending at #816 and #413.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Megan and Rebecca averaged 59.3 places apart, ending at #816 and #413.
- Mirrored each other
Over 40 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Rebecca rose about as far as Megan fell — from #51 and #100 in 1966 to #97 and #41 in 2005.
- Longest-running competitions
Megan and Rebecca were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #816 and #413.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Megan #3 in 1998, Rebecca #8 in 1996.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #10 and #8 in England and Wales · Girls, 2 places apart; by 2025 they were #816 and #413.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls47 shared years, 1976–2025
Megan held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Rebecca in 36.
Highest recorded here: Megan #8 in 1998, Rebecca #7 in 1995.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Megan #352, Rebecca #141.
New Zealand · Girls40 shared years, 1966–2005
Megan held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Rebecca in 36.
Highest recorded here: Megan #18 in 1974, Rebecca #2 in 1977.
The order changed in 1970: Rebecca moved ahead. In 1969 they stood at #41 and #42; by 1970 that had become #36 and #33.
Most recent shared year, 2005: Megan #97, Rebecca #41.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls38 shared years, 1966–2004
Megan held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Rebecca in 35.
Highest recorded here: Megan #20 in 1987, Rebecca #1 in 1976.
The order changed in 1969: Rebecca moved ahead. In 1968 they stood at #52 and #61; by 1969 that had become #44 and #41.
Most recent shared year, 2004: Megan #91, Rebecca #76.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Megan held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Rebecca in 7.
Highest recorded here: Megan #3 in 1998, Rebecca #8 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Megan #816, Rebecca #413.
Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1997–2022
Megan held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Rebecca in 15.
Highest recorded here: Megan #4 in 2000, Rebecca #2 in 1999.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Megan #266, Rebecca #162.
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 | Rebecca |
|---|---|---|
| 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 associated with concepts of 'joining', 'tying', or a 'team/yoke' — a binding or connecting sense, from a Semitic root about fastening things together. |
| Origin | Welsh, diminutive of Margaret | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhebekka |
| Pronunciation | /ˈmɛɡ.an/ | /rəˈbɛkə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Meghan, Meagan, Maegan | Not yet recorded |
| 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) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #141 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Megan is recorded with a Welsh, diminutive of Margaret origin, while Rebecca is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhebekka origin.
- Megan has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Rebecca.
- Megan's recorded meaning differs from Rebecca'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 Rebecca 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
Rebecca
Popularity journey
First recorded1955
First recorded at #440 among girls in Norway in 1955 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1966–2008
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1976 (recorded 1966–2008).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #413 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls