Namewise

Amy vs Kate

Amy 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 South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2008, Amy was ranked #42 and Kate #84 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Amy was ranked #138 and Kate #52 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2012, Amy was ranked #82 and Kate #90 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Amy was ranked #253 and Kate #134 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Amy was ranked #275 and Kate #541 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Amy was ranked #363 and Kate #1302 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2016, Amy was ranked #414 and Kate #457 among girls in Norway.

Amy and Kate over time

Amy and Kate appear together in 6 published lists, across 217 years of shared records. Amy held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Kate in 0.

The order between them changed and held in 5 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

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

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1976, Amy moved ahead of Kate in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #70 and #67 the year before became #47 and #57.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Amy and Kate changed places 7 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1975 and 2012, ending at #82 and #90.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 34 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Amy and Kate averaged 15.2 places apart, ending at #42 and #84.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Amy and Kate were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 34 years, from 1975 to 2008, ending at #42 and #84.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Amy #9 in 1996, Kate #59 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls56 shared years, 19692025

    Amy held the stronger position in 39 of those years, Kate in 17.

    Highest recorded here: Amy #4 in 2004, Kate #10 in 2007.

    The order changed in 2011: Kate moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #14 and #19; by 2011 that had become #25 and #15.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Amy #138, Kate #52.

  • New Zealand · Girls38 shared years, 19752012

    Amy held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Kate in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Amy #4 in 1984, Kate #14 in 2000.

    The order changed in 2012: Amy moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #71 and #58; by 2012 that had become #82 and #90.

    Most recent shared year, 2012: Amy #82, Kate #90.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls34 shared years, 19752008

    Amy held the stronger position in 33 of those years, Kate in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Amy #7 in 1983, Kate #11 in 1986.

    The order changed in 1976: Amy moved ahead. In 1975 they stood at #70 and #67; by 1976 that had become #47 and #57.

    Most recent shared year, 2008: Amy #42, Kate #84.

  • Norway · Girls32 shared years, 19702016

    Amy held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Kate in 13.

    Highest recorded here: Amy #269 in 2008, Kate #133 in 1970.

    The order changed in 1992: Amy moved ahead. In 1991 they stood at #549 and #450; by 1992 that had become #304 and #554.

    Most recent shared year, 2016: Amy #414, Kate #457.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 19962024

    Amy held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Kate in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Amy #9 in 1996, Kate #59 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Amy #363, Kate #1302.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 19972024

    Amy held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Kate in 5.

    Highest recorded here: Amy #4 in 1998, Kate #47 in 2005.

    The order changed in 2019: Kate moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #80 and #101; by 2019 that had become #86 and #81.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Amy #253, Kate #134.

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 Amy, Kate
FieldAmyKate
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
Pronunciation/ˈkeɪt/
Syllables22
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 observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #138 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #52 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Kate has a recorded origin (Greek, short form of Katherine); Amy does not have one recorded yet.
  • Amy and Kate both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Kate; Amy 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

Amy

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1965

    First recorded at #262 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1975–2012

    Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in New Zealand, in 1984 (recorded 1975–2012).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #457 among girls in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · 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 #52 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls