Megan vs Zoe
Megan and Zoecompared 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 South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2004, Megan was ranked #91 and Zoe #17 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2005, Megan was ranked #97 and Zoe #26 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Megan was ranked #352 and Zoe #46 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2022, Megan was ranked #266 and Zoe #76 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Megan was ranked #384 and Zoe #76 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Megan was ranked #816 and Zoe #104 among girls in England and Wales.
Megan and Zoe over time
Megan and Zoe appear together in 5 published lists, across 143 years of shared records. Megan held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Zoe in 1.
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 4 of those lists, Zoe 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 took the other's place near the top
In New Zealand · Girls, Zoe moved into the top 50 at #28 in 2000 as Megan fell out of it to #52, having been #39 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2018, Zoe moved ahead of Megan in England and Wales · Girls — #100 and #105 the year before became #126 and #96.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 22 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Megan and Zoe averaged 43.8 places apart, ending at #91 and #17.
- Longest-running competitions
Megan and Zoe were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #816 and #104.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Megan #3 in 1998, Zoe #31 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls47 shared years, 1976–2025
Megan held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Zoe in 23.
Highest recorded here: Megan #8 in 1998, Zoe #26 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Megan #352, Zoe #46.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Megan held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Zoe in 8.
Highest recorded here: Megan #3 in 1998, Zoe #31 in 1996.
The order changed in 2018: Zoe moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #100 and #105; by 2018 that had become #126 and #96.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Megan #816, Zoe #104.
Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1997–2022
Megan held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Zoe in 7.
Highest recorded here: Megan #4 in 2000, Zoe #32 in 2002.
The order changed in 2016: Zoe moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #59 and #81; by 2016 that had become #100 and #49.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Megan #266, Zoe #76.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls22 shared years, 1981–2004
Megan held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Zoe in 9.
Highest recorded here: Megan #20 in 1987, Zoe #14 in 2001.
The order changed in 1995: Zoe moved ahead. In 1994 they stood at #39 and #56; by 1995 that had become #50 and #41.
Most recent shared year, 2004: Megan #91, Zoe #17.
New Zealand · Girls18 shared years, 1988–2005
Megan held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Zoe in 11.
Highest recorded here: Megan #22 in 1990, Zoe #23 in 2004.
The order changed in 2000: Zoe moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #39 and #53; by 2000 that had become #52 and #28.
Most recent shared year, 2005: Megan #97, Zoe #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.
Side by side
| Field | Megan | Zoe |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Means 'life' in Greek. |
| Origin | Welsh, diminutive of Margaret | Ancient Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ˈmɛɡ.an/ | /ˈzoʊi/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| 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 #19 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| 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 Zoe is recorded with a Ancient Greek origin.
- Megan has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Zoe.
- Megan's recorded meaning differs from Zoe'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 Zoe 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
Zoe
Popularity journey
First recorded1968
First recorded at #401 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1968 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1981–2025
Highest recorded position: #8 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2015 (recorded 1981–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #104 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls