Abigail vs Caitlyn
Abigail and Caitlyncompared 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 2007, Abigail was ranked #43 and Caitlyn #98 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2008, Abigail was ranked #50 and Caitlyn #94 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Abigail was ranked #79 and Caitlyn #898 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Abigail was ranked #80 and Caitlyn #407 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Abigail was ranked #171 and Caitlyn #1315 among girls in England and Wales.
Abigail and Caitlyn over time
Abigail and Caitlyn appear together in 4 published lists, across 88 years of shared records. Abigail held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Caitlyn in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 2 of the lists they share.
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.
- Longest-running competitions
Abigail and Caitlyn were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #171 and #1315.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Abigail #29 in 2005, Caitlyn #97 in 2004.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Abigail held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Caitlyn in 0.
Highest recorded here: Abigail #19 in 2000, Caitlyn #144 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Abigail #171, Caitlyn #1315.
Republic of Ireland · Girls27 shared years, 1998–2024
Abigail held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Caitlyn in 0.
Highest recorded here: Abigail #36 in 2008, Caitlyn #225 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Abigail #79, Caitlyn #898.
Northern Ireland · Girls22 shared years, 1997–2024
Abigail held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Caitlyn in 0.
Highest recorded here: Abigail #29 in 2005, Caitlyn #97 in 2004.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Abigail #80, Caitlyn #407.
New Zealand · Girls9 shared years, 1999–2008
Abigail held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Caitlyn in 0.
Highest recorded here: Abigail #36 in 2002, Caitlyn #66 in 2007.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2008: Abigail #50, Caitlyn #94.
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 | Abigail | Caitlyn |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #55 (2025) | England and Wales · Girls #1315 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Abigail has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Caitlyn.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Abigail
Popularity journey
First recorded1969
First recorded at #303 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1969 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #19 among girls in England and Wales, in 2000 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #171 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Caitlyn
Popularity journey
First recorded1996
First recorded at #686 among girls in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Girls
Highest recorded1999–2008
Highest recorded position: #66 among girls in New Zealand, in 2007 (recorded 1999–2008).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #1315 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls