Namewise

Abigail vs Katy

Abigail and Katycompared 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.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2020, Abigail was ranked #64 and Katy #700 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2019, Abigail was ranked #73 and Katy #298 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Abigail was ranked #154 and Katy #4192 among girls in England and Wales.

Abigail and Katy over time

Abigail and Katy appear together in 3 published lists, across 78 years of shared records. Abigail held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Katy in 0.

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

Katy reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 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.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Abigail and Katy changed places 7 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1982 and 2020, ending at #64 and #700.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 29 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Abigail rose about as far as Katy fell — from #399 and #399 in 1982 to #64 and #700 in 2020.

List by list

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 19962024

    Abigail held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Katy in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Abigail #19 in 2000, Katy #111 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Abigail #154, Katy #4192.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls29 shared years, 19822020

    Abigail held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Katy in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Abigail #36 in 2008, Katy #254 in 1999.

    The order changed in 1993: Abigail moved ahead. In 1992 they stood at #417 and #282; by 1993 that had become #234 and #340.

    Most recent shared year, 2020: Abigail #64, Katy #700.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls20 shared years, 19972019

    Abigail held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Katy in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Abigail #29 in 2005, Katy #132 in 2001.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2019: Abigail #73, Katy #298.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Abigail, Katy
FieldAbigailKaty
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
PronunciationNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Syllables32
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZGB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE
Most recent popularity observationNew South Wales, Australia · Girls #55 (2025)England and Wales · Girls #4192 (2024)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Abigail has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Katy.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.

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 recorded1996–2024

    Highest recorded position: #19 among girls in England and Wales, in 2000 (recorded 1996–2024).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #55 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

Katy

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1982

    First recorded at #399 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1982 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1996–2024

    Highest recorded position: #111 among girls in England and Wales, in 1996 (recorded 1996–2024).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #4192 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.

    England and Wales · Girls