Namewise

Ann vs Katherine

Ann and Katherinecompared 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 1970, Ann was ranked #97 and Katherine #48 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1969, Ann was ranked #92 and Katherine #68 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2011, Ann was ranked #277 and Katherine #168 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2001, Ann was ranked #194 and Katherine #334 among girls in Norway.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Ann was ranked #443 and Katherine #608 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Ann was ranked #2006 and Katherine #872 among girls in England and Wales.

Ann and Katherine over time

Ann and Katherine appear together in 6 published lists, across 151 years of shared records. Ann held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Katherine 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.

Ann reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Katherine 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 1968, Katherine moved ahead of Ann in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #61 and #62 the year before became #83 and #59.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Ann and Katherine changed places 14 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1964 and 2025, ending at #443 and #608.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Ann and Katherine were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #2006 and #872.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Ann #539 in 1996, Katherine #48 in 1996.

List by list

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

    Ann held the stronger position in 48 of those years, Katherine in 11.

    Highest recorded here: Ann #4 in 1964, Katherine #71 in 1965.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Ann #443, Katherine #608.

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

    Ann held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Katherine in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Ann #539 in 1996, Katherine #48 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Ann #2006, Katherine #872.

  • Norway · Girls25 shared years, 1963–2001

    Ann held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Katherine in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Ann #18 in 1976, Katherine #323 in 1983.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2001: Ann #194, Katherine #334.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls15 shared years, 1956–1970

    Ann held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Katherine in 5.

    Highest recorded here: Ann #34 in 1956, Katherine #48 in 1970.

    The order changed in 1968: Katherine moved ahead. In 1967 they stood at #61 and #62; by 1968 that had become #83 and #59.

    Most recent shared year, 1970: Ann #97, Katherine #48.

  • New Zealand · Girls11 shared years, 1955–1969

    Ann held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Katherine in 4.

    Highest recorded here: Ann #39 in 1955, Katherine #60 in 1967.

    The order changed in 1966: Katherine moved ahead. In 1965 they stood at #63 and #91; by 1966 that had become #85 and #71.

    Most recent shared year, 1969: Ann #92, Katherine #68.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls8 shared years, 1998–2011

    Ann held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Katherine in 8.

    Highest recorded here: Ann #229 in 1998, Katherine #56 in 1998.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2011: Ann #277, Katherine #168.

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.

Other comparisons involving Katherine

Pairs where Katherine 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 — repeatedly exchanged positions.

All repeatedly exchanged positions→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Republic of 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.

Republic of Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Ann, Katherine
FieldAnnKatherine
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
Syllables14
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #443 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #608 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10070/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Ann has 1 syllable, compared with 4 for Katherine.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Ann

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #2006 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Katherine

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1955

    First recorded at #100 among girls in New Zealand in 1955 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New Zealand · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1956–2000

    Highest recorded position: #24 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1982 (recorded 1956–2000).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #872 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls