Alison vs Catherine
Alison and Catherinecompared 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 1979, Alison was ranked #70 and Catherine #34 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2013, Alison was ranked #440 and Catherine #83 among girls in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1993, Alison was ranked #90 and Catherine #88 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Alison was ranked #213 and Catherine #273 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Alison was ranked #1603 and Catherine #594 among girls in England and Wales.
Alison and Catherine over time
Alison and Catherine appear together in 5 published lists, across 168 years of shared records. Catherine held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Alison in 0.
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.
Catherine reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Alison 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 moved ahead of the other
In 1956, Catherine moved ahead of Alison in New Zealand · Girls — #32 and #36 the year before became #32 and #27.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Alison and Catherine changed places 6 times in New South Wales, Australia · Girls between 1952 and 1993, ending at #90 and #88.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 41 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Alison and Catherine averaged 23.3 places apart, ending at #90 and #88.
- Longest-running competitions
Alison and Catherine were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 41 years, from 1952 to 1993, ending at #90 and #88.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Alison #225 in 1996, Catherine #68 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Alison held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Catherine in 52.
Highest recorded here: Alison #33 in 1989, Catherine #2 in 1964.
The order changed in 2025: Alison moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #275 and #213; by 2025 that had become #213 and #273.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alison #213, Catherine #273.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls41 shared years, 1952–1993
Alison held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Catherine in 27.
Highest recorded here: Alison #18 in 1979, Catherine #8 in 1963.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1993: Alison #90, Catherine #88.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Alison held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Catherine in 29.
Highest recorded here: Alison #225 in 1996, Catherine #68 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alison #1603, Catherine #594.
New Zealand · Girls26 shared years, 1954–1979
Alison held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Catherine in 24.
Highest recorded here: Alison #30 in 1966, Catherine #16 in 1963.
The order changed in 1956: Catherine moved ahead. In 1955 they stood at #32 and #36; by 1956 that had become #32 and #27.
Most recent shared year, 1979: Alison #70, Catherine #34.
Northern Ireland · Girls10 shared years, 1997–2013
Alison held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Catherine in 10.
Highest recorded here: Alison #118 in 1998, Catherine #22 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2013: Alison #440, Catherine #83.
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 | Alison | Catherine |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| Syllables | 3 | 4 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #213 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #273 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 70/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Alison has 3 syllables, compared with 4 for Catherine.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Alison
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #76 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1952–1996
Highest recorded position: #18 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1979 (recorded 1952–1996).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #213 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Catherine
Popularity journey
First recorded1947
First recorded at #366 among girls in Norway in 1947 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #273 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls