Melanie vs Shiela
Melanie and Shielacompared 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.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 1985, Melanie was ranked #215 and Shiela #519 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Melanie and Shiela over time
Melanie and Shiela appear together in 1 published list, across 11 years of shared records. Melanie held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Shiela in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Shiela reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Melanie 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.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Melanie #145 in 1972, Shiela #282 in 1970.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls11 shared years, 1965–1985
Melanie held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Shiela in 1.
Highest recorded here: Melanie #145 in 1972, Shiela #282 in 1970.
The order changed in 1966: Melanie moved ahead. In 1965 they stood at #385 and #325; by 1966 that had become #288 and #310.
Most recent shared year, 1985: Melanie #215, Shiela #519.
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 | Melanie | Shiela |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ | IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #482 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #519 (1985) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 40/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Melanie has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Shiela.
- Both names have recorded usage in IE.
How each name got here
Melanie
Popularity journey
First recorded1965
First recorded at #385 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1966–1996
Highest recorded position: #8 among girls in New Zealand, in 1974 (recorded 1966–1996).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #863 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Shiela
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #372 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1964–1985
Highest recorded position: #282 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1970 (recorded 1964–1985).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent1985
Most recently recorded at #519 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1985.
Republic of Ireland · Girls