Melissa vs Olivia
Melissa 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, Melissa was ranked #280 and Olivia #1 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Melissa was ranked #541 and Olivia #1 among girls in Scotland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2002, Melissa was ranked #69 and Olivia #2 among girls in New Zealand.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Melissa was ranked #268 and Olivia #2 among girls in Norway.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2000, Melissa was ranked #92 and Olivia #5 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2023, Melissa was ranked #328 and Olivia #5 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Melissa was ranked #173 and Olivia #8 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Melissa and Olivia over time
Melissa and Olivia appear together in 6 published lists, across 202 years of shared records. Olivia held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Melissa in 2.
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.
Melissa reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, Olivia 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 Northern Ireland · Girls, Olivia moved into the top 50 at #38 in 1998 as Melissa fell out of it to #58, having been #43 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1995, Olivia moved ahead of Melissa in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #23 and #28 the year before became #33 and #27.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Melissa and Olivia changed places 4 times in Norway · Girls between 1964 and 2025, ending at #268 and #2.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 26 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Melissa and Olivia averaged 45.0 places apart, ending at #69 and #2.
- Longest-running competitions
Melissa and Olivia were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 43 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #268 and #2.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1997 they stood at #43 and #46 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 3 places apart; by 2023 they were #328 and #5.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls61 shared years, 1964–2025
Melissa held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Olivia in 46.
Highest recorded here: Melissa #48 in 1984, Olivia #4 in 1975.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Melissa #173, Olivia #8.
Norway · Girls43 shared years, 1964–2025
Melissa held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Olivia in 27.
Highest recorded here: Melissa #141 in 2012, Olivia #2 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Melissa #268, Olivia #2.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Melissa held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Olivia in 29.
Highest recorded here: Melissa #46 in 1996, Olivia #1 in 2008.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Melissa #280, Olivia #1.
New Zealand · Girls26 shared years, 1977–2002
Melissa held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Olivia in 10.
Highest recorded here: Melissa #7 in 1984, Olivia #2 in 2000.
The order changed in 1993: Olivia moved ahead. In 1992 they stood at #13 and #17; by 1993 that had become #22 and #13.
Most recent shared year, 2002: Melissa #69, Olivia #2.
Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1997–2023
Melissa held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Olivia in 25.
Highest recorded here: Melissa #43 in 1997, Olivia #3 in 2016.
The order changed in 1998: Olivia moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #43 and #46; by 1998 that had become #58 and #38.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Melissa #328, Olivia #5.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls17 shared years, 1978–2000
Melissa held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Olivia in 6.
Highest recorded here: Melissa #2 in 1979, Olivia #5 in 1999.
The order changed in 1995: Olivia moved ahead. In 1994 they stood at #23 and #28; by 1995 that had become #33 and #27.
Most recent shared year, 2000: Melissa #92, Olivia #5.
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 | Melissa | Olivia |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Means 'bee' in Greek. Borne in mythology by a daughter of Procles and used as an epithet for various nymphs and priestesses; appears in Ludovico Ariosto's 1532 poem Orlando Furioso. | Commonly interpreted as 'olive tree' or 'symbol of peace'. |
| Origin | Greek | Latin |
| Pronunciation | /mə.ˈlɪs.ə/ | /əˈlɪviə/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Olivea, Liv, Livvy, Oliwia |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #173 (2025) | Norway · Girls #2 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Melissa is recorded with a Greek origin, while Olivia is recorded with a Latin origin.
- Melissa and Olivia both have 3 syllables.
- Melissa'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, NO, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Melissa a "medium" Data Confidence level and Olivia a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Melissa
Popularity journey
First recorded1962
First recorded at #78 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1962 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1962–2000
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1977 (recorded 1962–2000).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #268 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · 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