Ann vs Cathleen
Ann and Cathleencompared 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 1990, Ann was ranked #47 and Cathleen #446 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2015, Ann was ranked #1405 and Cathleen #5730 among girls in England and Wales.
Ann and Cathleen over time
Ann and Cathleen appear together in 2 published lists, across 23 years of shared records. Ann held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Cathleen in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.
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.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Ann #4 in 1966, Cathleen #262 in 1965.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls15 shared years, 1965–1990
Ann held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Cathleen in 0.
Highest recorded here: Ann #4 in 1966, Cathleen #262 in 1965.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1990: Ann #47, Cathleen #446.
England and Wales · Girls8 shared years, 1996–2015
Ann held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Cathleen in 0.
Highest recorded here: Ann #539 in 1996, Cathleen #3247 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2015: Ann #1405, Cathleen #5730.
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 Ann
Pairs where Ann shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Ann vs Pauline
In 1964 they stood at #4 and #12 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 8 places apart; by 2018 they were #319 and #896.
Ann · Pauline · 45 shared years, 1964–2018 · Started together, ended far apart
- Ann vs Geraldine
In 1964 they stood at #4 and #9 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2021 they were #363 and #883.
Ann · Geraldine · 51 shared years, 1964–2021 · Started together, ended far apart
- Ann vs Deirdre
In 1964 they stood at #4 and #14 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 10 places apart; by 2019 they were #362 and #871.
Ann · Deirdre · 51 shared years, 1964–2019 · Started together, ended far apart
- Ann vs Elizabeth
In 1964 they stood at #4 and #6 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 2 places apart; by 2025 they were #443 and #76.
Ann · Elizabeth · 62 shared years, 1964–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
Side by side
| Field | Ann | Cathleen |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ | GB-ENW, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #443 (2025) | England and Wales · Girls #5730 (2015) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 76/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 60/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Ann has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Cathleen.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE.
How each name got here
Ann
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #82 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #443 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Cathleen
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1965–1990
Highest recorded position: #262 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1965 (recorded 1965–1990).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2015
Most recently recorded at #5730 among girls in England and Wales, in 2015.
England and Wales · Girls