Melin vs Stetson:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Stetson had more branded searches than Melin among hats worldwide. Stetson had about 165,000 branded searches, while Melin had 90,500. Stetson made up 6.8% of all hat searches we track, and Melin accounted for 3.7%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about hats, Stetson appeared in three of the five answers and Melin in two. Melin was mentioned before Stetson in two out of three answers that named either.
Who do people search for more?
Stetson, about 82% more searches than Melin
Who does AI mention more?
Stetson, mentioned in 3 of 5 answers, Melin in 2
Who does AI recommend more?
Melin, named ahead of Stetson in 2 of 3 answers
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Top hats in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Stetson was mentioned in three out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Melin was mentioned in two out of five: in one of the three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Melin was listed before Stetson in two out of three answers that named either.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
New Era4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
'474 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Carhartt4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers- Stetson3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Melin2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Patagonia2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Kangol1 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Mitchell & Ness0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Flexfit0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Borsalino0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about hats
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which hat brand should I buy?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best hat brands?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best hat brand for everyday wear?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“hat brands”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“wide brim hat”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 21, 2026.
Share of searches by month for Stetson, Melin. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | New Era | Mitchell & Ness | '47 | Stetson | Kangol | Melin | Carhartt | Flexfit | Patagonia | Borsalino |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 58.1% | 9.4% | 9.8% | 6.3% | 5.2% | 2.3% | 7.1% | 0.69% | 0.69% | 0.46% |
| Nov 2025 | 54.8% | 9.2% | 8.9% | 6.1% | 4.1% | 2.8% | 12.5% | 0.55% | 0.82% | 0.37% |
| Dec 2025 | 51.2% | 8.2% | 6.5% | 6.7% | 4.5% | 2.5% | 18.8% | 0.5% | 0.74% | 0.33% |
| Jan 2026 | 59.9% | 8.2% | 6.9% | 6.7% | 4.5% | 2% | 10.2% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.4% |
| Feb 2026 | 60.3% | 8.3% | 8.6% | 6.8% | 4.5% | 2.5% | 7.2% | 0.74% | 0.61% | 0.41% |
| Mar 2026 | 62.4% | 8.5% | 9.5% | 7% | 4.7% | 3.1% | 3% | 0.77% | 0.63% | 0.42% |
| Apr 2026 | 59.2% | 9.6% | 9.9% | 7.8% | 5.3% | 3.5% | 2.6% | 0.86% | 0.7% | 0.47% |
| May 2026 | 61.1% | 9.5% | 8.7% | 7.7% | 4.2% | 4.2% | 2.3% | 0.85% | 0.85% | 0.47% |
| Jun 2026 | 56.8% | 8.8% | 10.7% | 10.8% | 3.9% | 4.8% | 2.2% | 0.79% | 0.79% | 0.43% |
| Jul 2026 | 59.9% | 9.7% | 9.6% | 7.9% | 4.3% | 4.3% | 2.2% | 0.71% | 0.87% | 0.48% |
| Aug 2026 | 60.7% | 9.8% | 8.3% | 8% | 4.4% | 4.4% | 2.4% | 0.72% | 0.72% | 0.48% |
| Sep 2026 | 60.6% | 10.2% | 8.6% | 6.8% | 4.5% | 3.7% | 3.6% | 0.75% | 0.61% | 0.5% |
How has the Melin and Stetson comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Stetson was ahead of Melin in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Melin’s share of searches among hats worldwide moved from 2.3% to 3.7%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 60.5K to 90.5K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Stetson’s share of searches among hats worldwide moved from 6.3% to 6.8%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 165K.
How did search popularity change for hats worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Melin’s and Stetson’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
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