Namewise

Melissa vs Stephanie

Melissa and Stephaniecompared 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 2000, Melissa was ranked #92 and Stephanie #27 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2000, Melissa was ranked #83 and Stephanie #79 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Melissa was ranked #173 and Stephanie #294 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2018, Melissa was ranked #214 and Stephanie #527 among girls in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Melissa was ranked #321 and Stephanie #719 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2023, Melissa was ranked #328 and Stephanie #391 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Melissa was ranked #541 and Stephanie #541 among girls in Scotland.

Melissa and Stephanie over time

Melissa and Stephanie appear together in 6 published lists, across 216 years of shared records. Melissa held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Stephanie in 1.

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 3 of those lists, Stephanie 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 1990, Stephanie moved ahead of Melissa in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #7 and #10 the year before became #12 and #7.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Melissa and Stephanie changed places 4 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1967 and 2000, ending at #83 and #79.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 36 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Melissa and Stephanie averaged 48.2 places apart, ending at #92 and #27.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Melissa and Stephanie were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #321 and #719.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Melissa #46 in 1996, Stephanie #48 in 1996.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1996 they stood at #46 and #48 in England and Wales · Girls, 2 places apart; by 2025 they were #321 and #719.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls61 shared years, 1964–2025

    Melissa held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Stephanie in 36.

    Highest recorded here: Melissa #48 in 1984, Stephanie #23 in 1990.

    The order changed in 2016: Melissa moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #264 and #264; by 2016 that had become #316 and #476.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Melissa #173, Stephanie #294.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls36 shared years, 1965–2000

    Melissa held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Stephanie in 11.

    Highest recorded here: Melissa #2 in 1977, Stephanie #5 in 1994.

    The order changed in 1990: Stephanie moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #7 and #10; by 1990 that had become #12 and #7.

    Most recent shared year, 2000: Melissa #92, Stephanie #27.

  • New Zealand · Girls34 shared years, 1967–2000

    Melissa held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Stephanie in 11.

    Highest recorded here: Melissa #7 in 1984, Stephanie #11 in 1991.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2000: Melissa #83, Stephanie #79.

  • Norway · Girls33 shared years, 1974–2018

    Melissa held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Stephanie in 9.

    Highest recorded here: Melissa #166 in 1997, Stephanie #178 in 1989.

    The order changed in 1991: Melissa moved ahead. In 1990 they stood at #227 and #208; by 1991 that had become #184 and #237.

    Most recent shared year, 2018: Melissa #214, Stephanie #527.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Melissa held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Stephanie in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Melissa #46 in 1996, Stephanie #48 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Melissa #321, Stephanie #719.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls22 shared years, 1997–2023

    Melissa held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Stephanie in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Melissa #43 in 1997, Stephanie #50 in 1997.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Melissa #328, Stephanie #391.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Melissa

Pairs where Melissa shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Stephanie

Pairs where Stephanie shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

Other pairs from New South Wales, Australia lists

Pairs measured inside New South Wales, Australia's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New South Wales, Australia overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2000s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2000 and 2009.

The 2000s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Melissa, Stephanie
FieldMelissaStephanie
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningMeans '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.The feminine form of Stephen, from Greek Stephanos meaning 'crown, wreath'.
OriginGreekGreek
Pronunciation/mə.ˈlɪs.ə//ˈstɛf.ə.ni/
Syllables33
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #173 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #294 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10065/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10070/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Both Melissa and Stephanie share a recorded Greek origin.
  • Melissa and Stephanie both have 3 syllables.
  • Melissa's recorded meaning differs from Stephanie's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Melissa

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1962–2000

    Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1977 (recorded 1962–2000).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #321 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Stephanie

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1953

    First recorded at #97 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1953 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1953–2010

    Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1994 (recorded 1953–2010).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #719 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls