Alex vs Katie
Alex and Katie compared 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 2025, Alex was ranked #304 and Katie #41 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2023, Alex was ranked #391 and Katie #43 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Alex was ranked #2605 and Katie #650 among girls in England and Wales.
Alex and Katie over time
Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.
Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.
Alex and Katie over time
Alex and Katie appear together in 3 published lists, across 90 years of shared records. Katie held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Alex in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Alex reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Katie 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.
- Longest-running competitions
Alex and Katie were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #2605 and #650.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Alex #56 in 2002, Katie #1 in 2004.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls34 shared years, 1990–2025
Alex held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Katie in 34.
Highest recorded here: Alex #82 in 2006, Katie #2 in 2004.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alex #304, Katie #41.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Alex held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Katie in 30.
Highest recorded here: Alex #161 in 1996, Katie #9 in 2004.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alex #2605, Katie #650.
Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1997–2023
Alex held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Katie in 26.
Highest recorded here: Alex #56 in 2002, Katie #1 in 2004.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Alex #391, Katie #43.
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 Alex
Pairs where Alex shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Alex vs Scott
In 1996 they stood at #43 and #48 in England and Wales · Boys, 5 places apart; by 2025 they were #207 and #845.
Alex · Scott · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Alex vs Ashley
In 1996 they stood at #43 and #40 in England and Wales · Boys, 3 places apart; by 2025 they were #207 and #716.
Alex · Ashley · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Alex vs Marcus
Over 53 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Alex rose about as far as Marcus fell — from #279 and #99 in 1972 to #37 and #232 in 2025.
Alex · Marcus · 53 shared years, 1972–2025 · Mirrored each other
- Alex vs Ronan
Over 53 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Alex rose about as far as Ronan fell — from #279 and #46 in 1972 to #37 and #86 in 2025.
Alex · Ronan · 53 shared years, 1972–2025 · Mirrored each other
Other comparisons involving Katie
Pairs where Katie shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Katie vs Shannon
In 1996 they stood at #12 and #11 in England and Wales · Girls, 1 places apart; by 2025 they were #650 and #2138.
Katie · Shannon · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Katie vs Danielle
In 1996 they stood at #12 and #20 in England and Wales · Girls, 8 places apart; by 2025 they were #650 and #1454.
Katie · Danielle · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Charlotte vs Katie
In 1996 they stood at #7 and #12 in England and Wales · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2025 they were #25 and #650.
Charlotte · Katie · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Katie vs Eleanor
In 1996 they stood at #12 and #22 in England and Wales · Girls, 10 places apart; by 2025 they were #650 and #56.
Katie · Eleanor · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
Other pairs with the same kind of relationship
Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — peaked in the same years.
- Jason vs Aaron
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Boys within 2 years — Jason #1 in 1970, Aaron #8 in 1972.
Jason · Aaron · 39 shared years, 1966–2004 · Peaked in the same years
- Ava vs Abigail
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Ava #1 in 2008, Abigail #36 in 2008.
Ava · Abigail · 44 shared years, 1978–2025 · Peaked in the same years
- Charlotte vs Abigail
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Charlotte #1 in 2012, Abigail #24 in 2010.
Charlotte · Abigail · 24 shared years, 2002–2025 · Peaked in the same years
- Emma vs Abigail
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Emma #1 in 2003, Abigail #29 in 2005.
Emma · Abigail · 28 shared years, 1997–2024 · Peaked in the same years
Other pairs from Northern Ireland lists
Pairs measured inside Northern Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.
- Charlotte vs Jodie
In 1997 they stood at #72 and #77 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2021 they were #13 and #446.
Charlotte · Jodie · 23 shared years, 1997–2021 · Started together, ended far apart
- Emily vs Rachael
In 1997 they stood at #32 and #25 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 7 places apart; by 2017 they were #1 and #432.
Emily · Rachael · 19 shared years, 1997–2017 · Started together, ended far apart
- Grace vs Fiona
In 1997 they stood at #57 and #66 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2017 they were #2 and #432.
Grace · Fiona · 18 shared years, 1997–2017 · Started together, ended far apart
- Oliver vs Colin
In 1997 they stood at #100 and #96 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 4 places apart; by 2021 they were #5 and #433.
Oliver · Colin · 21 shared years, 1997–2021 · Started together, ended far apart
Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s
Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.
- Grace vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #41 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2025 they were #27 and #4867.
Grace · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Ella vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #56 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 6 places apart; by 2025 they were #46 and #4867.
Ella · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Jasmine vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #55 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2025 they were #102 and #4867.
Jasmine · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Anna vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #47 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 3 places apart; by 2025 they were #142 and #4867.
Anna · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
Side by side
| Field | Alex | Katie |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | female |
| Meaning | A short form of Alexander, Alexandra and other names beginning with 'Alex' — from Greek elements meaning 'defender' and 'man/people'. | A diminutive of Kate, itself a short form of Katherine. |
| Origin | Greek, short form | Greek, diminutive form |
| Pronunciation | /ˈæl.ɪks/ | /ˈkeɪ.ti/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | New South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Norway, New Zealand | New South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, New Zealand |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #37 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #41 (2025) |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Alex is recorded with a Greek, short form origin, while Katie is recorded with a Greek, diminutive form origin.
- Alex and Katie both have 2 syllables.
- Alex's recorded meaning differs from Katie's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Alex
Popularity journey
First recorded1954
First recorded at #346 among boys in Norway in 1954 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1972–2025
Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2009 (recorded 1972–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #2605 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Katie
Popularity journey
First recorded1973
First recorded at #508 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1973 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2004 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #650 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls