Megan vs Sofia
Megan and Sofiacompared 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 Sofia #12 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Megan was ranked #384 and Sofia #22 among girls in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Megan was ranked #352 and Sofia #23 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2022, Megan was ranked #266 and Sofia #56 among girls in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2004, Megan was ranked #91 and Sofia #90 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Megan and Sofia over time
Megan and Sofia appear together in 3 published lists, across 78 years of shared records. Megan held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Sofia in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 3 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 3 of those lists, and Sofia 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 took the other's place near the top
In Northern Ireland · Girls, Sofia moved into the top 50 at #36 in 2014 as Megan fell out of it to #54, having been #45 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2013, Sofia moved ahead of Megan in England and Wales · Girls — #41 and #43 the year before became #49 and #30.
- Longest-running competitions
Megan and Sofia were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 30 years, from 1991 to 2025, ending at #352 and #23.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls30 shared years, 1991–2025
Megan held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Sofia in 13.
Highest recorded here: Megan #8 in 1998, Sofia #23 in 2025.
The order changed in 2013: Sofia moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #53 and #64; by 2013 that had become #63 and #41.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Megan #352, Sofia #23.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Megan held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Sofia in 12.
Highest recorded here: Megan #3 in 1998, Sofia #12 in 2024.
The order changed in 2013: Sofia moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #41 and #43; by 2013 that had become #49 and #30.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Megan #503, Sofia #12.
Northern Ireland · Girls19 shared years, 2004–2022
Megan held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Sofia in 9.
Highest recorded here: Megan #19 in 2004, Sofia #36 in 2014.
The order changed in 2014: Sofia moved ahead. In 2013 they stood at #45 and #53; by 2014 that had become #54 and #36.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Megan #266, Sofia #56.
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 | Sofia |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | A form of Sophia used across many languages, from the Greek word for 'wisdom'. |
| Origin | Welsh, diminutive of Margaret | Greek, via Sophia |
| Pronunciation | /ˈmɛɡ.an/ | /soˈfia/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| 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) | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #13 (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 | medium |
What the data shows
- Megan is recorded with a Welsh, diminutive of Margaret origin, while Sofia is recorded with a Greek, via Sophia origin.
- Megan and Sofia both have 2 syllables.
- Megan's recorded meaning differs from Sofia'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 Sofia 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 recorded1996–2024
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
Sofia
Popularity journey
First recorded1968
First recorded at #518 among girls in Norway in 1968 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1968–2025
Highest recorded position: #10 among girls in Norway, in 2016 (recorded 1968–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #13 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls