Namewise

Abigail vs Kate

Abigail and Katecompared 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 Zealand · Girls

    In 2014, Abigail was ranked #33 and Kate #81 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2008, Abigail was ranked #34 and Kate #84 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Abigail was ranked #115 and Kate #52 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Abigail was ranked #80 and Kate #134 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Abigail was ranked #102 and Kate #541 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Abigail was ranked #171 and Kate #1079 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2022, Abigail was ranked #246 and Kate #490 among girls in Norway.

Abigail and Kate over time

Abigail and Kate appear together in 5 published lists, across 151 years of shared records. Abigail held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Kate in 2.

The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Kate reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Abigail 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.

  • One took the other's place near the top

    In New Zealand · Girls, Abigail moved into the top 50 at #30 in 2010 as Kate fell out of it to #53, having been #38 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 2010, Abigail moved ahead of Kate in New Zealand · Girls — #43 and #38 the year before became #30 and #53.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Abigail and Kate changed places 4 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2024, ending at #80 and #134.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 23 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Abigail and Kate averaged 39.4 places apart, ending at #33 and #81.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Abigail and Kate were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #171 and #1079.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Abigail #29 in 2005, Kate #47 in 2005.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls53 shared years, 1969–2025

    Abigail held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Kate in 49.

    Highest recorded here: Abigail #36 in 2008, Kate #10 in 2007.

    The order changed in 1976: Kate moved ahead. In 1975 they stood at #282 and #406; by 1976 that had become #271 and #271.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Abigail #115, Kate #52.

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

    Abigail held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Kate in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Abigail #19 in 2000, Kate #59 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Abigail #171, Kate #1079.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Abigail held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Kate in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Abigail #29 in 2005, Kate #47 in 2005.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Abigail #80, Kate #134.

  • New Zealand · Girls23 shared years, 1991–2014

    Abigail held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Kate in 18.

    Highest recorded here: Abigail #30 in 2010, Kate #14 in 2000.

    The order changed in 2010: Abigail moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #43 and #38; by 2010 that had become #30 and #53.

    Most recent shared year, 2014: Abigail #33, Kate #81.

  • Norway · Girls17 shared years, 1983–2022

    Abigail held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Kate in 5.

    Highest recorded here: Abigail #246 in 2022, Kate #322 in 1984.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Abigail #246, Kate #490.

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 Abigail

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

Other comparisons involving Kate

Pairs where Kate 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 took the other's place near the top.

All one took the other's place near the top→

Other pairs from New Zealand lists

Pairs measured inside New Zealand'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 Zealand overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2010s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2010 and 2019.

The 2010s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Abigail, Kate
FieldAbigailKate
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedA short form of Katherine, used independently since the Middle Ages — appears in Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew (1593) as a short form of Katherina.
OriginNot yet recordedGreek, short form of Katherine
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˈkeɪt/
Syllables32
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 observationNew South Wales, Australia · Girls #55 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #52 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Kate has a recorded origin (Greek, short form of Katherine); Abigail does not have one recorded yet.
  • Abigail has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Kate.
  • A meaning is recorded for Kate; Abigail doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Abigail

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #19 among girls in England and Wales, in 2000 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #171 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Kate

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #233 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #10 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2007 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1079 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls