Namewise

Angela vs Kathleen

Angela and Kathleencompared 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 1984, Angela was ranked #26 and Kathleen #100 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1990, Angela was ranked #50 and Kathleen #94 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Angela was ranked #608 and Kathleen #352 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2023, Angela was ranked #391 and Kathleen #391 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Angela was ranked #1229 and Kathleen #997 among girls in England and Wales.

Angela and Kathleen over time

Angela and Kathleen appear together in 5 published lists, across 157 years of shared records. Angela held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Kathleen 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.

Kathleen reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Angela 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, Angela moved into the top 50 at #37 in 1961 as Kathleen fell out of it to #52, having been #44 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1965, Angela moved ahead of Kathleen in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #48 and #46 the year before became #38 and #46.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Angela and Kathleen changed places 6 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2025, ending at #1229 and #997.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 32 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Angela and Kathleen averaged 42.0 places apart, ending at #50 and #94.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Angela and Kathleen were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1229 and #997.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Angela #382 in 1996, Kathleen #227 in 1996.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1964 they stood at #24 and #23 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 1 places apart; by 2025 they were #608 and #352.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Angela held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Kathleen in 58.

    Highest recorded here: Angela #21 in 1965, Kathleen #18 in 1965.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Angela #608, Kathleen #352.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls32 shared years, 1955–1990

    Angela held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Kathleen in 9.

    Highest recorded here: Angela #13 in 1974, Kathleen #38 in 1960.

    The order changed in 1965: Angela moved ahead. In 1964 they stood at #48 and #46; by 1965 that had become #38 and #46.

    Most recent shared year, 1990: Angela #50, Kathleen #94.

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

    Angela held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Kathleen in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Angela #382 in 1996, Kathleen #227 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Angela #1229, Kathleen #997.

  • New Zealand · Girls20 shared years, 1954–1984

    Angela held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Kathleen in 7.

    Highest recorded here: Angela #3 in 1977, Kathleen #31 in 1954.

    The order changed in 1961: Angela moved ahead. In 1960 they stood at #51 and #44; by 1961 that had become #37 and #52.

    Most recent shared year, 1984: Angela #26, Kathleen #100.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls13 shared years, 1997–2023

    Angela held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Kathleen in 11.

    Highest recorded here: Angela #248 in 2000, Kathleen #112 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Angela #391, Kathleen #391.

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 Angela

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

Other comparisons involving Kathleen

Pairs where Kathleen 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 1980s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1980 and 1989.

The 1980s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Angela, Kathleen
FieldAngelaKathleen
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 recorded
Syllables32
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #608 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #352 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10076/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Angela has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Kathleen.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Angela

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1947

    First recorded at #362 among girls in Norway in 1947 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1954–1998

    Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in New Zealand, in 1975 (recorded 1954–1998).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1229 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Kathleen

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #29 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

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #18 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1965 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #997 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls