Anna vs Katherine
Anna 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.
Norway · Girls
In 2001, Anna was ranked #13 and Katherine #334 among girls in Norway.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2001, Anna was ranked #19 and Katherine #76 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #19 and Katherine #288 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Anna was ranked #26 and Katherine #608 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2000, Anna was ranked #41 and Katherine #81 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #53 and Katherine #476 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #125 and Katherine #594 among girls in England and Wales.
Anna and Katherine over time
Anna and Katherine appear together in 6 published lists, across 226 years of shared records. Anna held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Katherine in 1.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Katherine reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, Anna 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 took the other's place near the top
In New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Anna moved into the top 50 at #43 in 1993 as Katherine fell out of it to #61, having been #43 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1993, Anna moved ahead of Katherine in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #45 and #43 the year before became #43 and #61.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Anna and Katherine changed places 5 times in New South Wales, Australia · Girls between 1956 and 2000, ending at #41 and #81.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 44 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Anna and Katherine averaged 11.0 places apart, ending at #41 and #81.
- Longest-running competitions
Anna and Katherine were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 44 years, from 1956 to 2000, ending at #41 and #81.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #47 and #48 in England and Wales · Girls, 1 places apart; by 2024 they were #125 and #594.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Anna held the stronger position in 62 of those years, Katherine in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anna #12 in 2013, Katherine #71 in 1965.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anna #26, Katherine #608.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls44 shared years, 1956–2000
Anna held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Katherine in 25.
Highest recorded here: Anna #35 in 1986, Katherine #24 in 1982.
The order changed in 1993: Anna moved ahead. In 1992 they stood at #45 and #43; by 1993 that had become #43 and #61.
Most recent shared year, 2000: Anna #41, Katherine #81.
New Zealand · Girls40 shared years, 1956–2001
Anna held the stronger position in 38 of those years, Katherine in 2.
Highest recorded here: Anna #3 in 1980, Katherine #32 in 1984.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2001: Anna #19, Katherine #76.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anna held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Katherine in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anna #31 in 2000, Katherine #48 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anna #125, Katherine #594.
Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1997–2024
Anna held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Katherine in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anna #4 in 2016, Katherine #56 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anna #19, Katherine #288.
Norway · Girls25 shared years, 1963–2001
Anna held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Katherine in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anna #6 in 1995, Katherine #323 in 1983.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2001: Anna #13, Katherine #334.
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 | Anna | Katherine |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | A form of Hannah used in the Greek and Latin Old Testament, from the Hebrew root 'hanan' relating to grace. Appears in the New Testament as a prophetess who recognised Jesus as the Messiah. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmission | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈa.na/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 4 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #23 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #608 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 70/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Anna has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmission); Katherine does not have one recorded yet.
- Anna has 2 syllables, compared with 4 for Katherine.
- A meaning is recorded for Anna; Katherine 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
Anna
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #38 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1956–2021
Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in New Zealand, in 1980 (recorded 1956–2021).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #23 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls
Katherine
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1956–2000
Highest recorded position: #24 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1982 (recorded 1956–2000).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #608 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls