Anna vs Katie
Anna and Katiecompared 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.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #19 and Katie #47 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Anna was ranked #26 and Katie #41 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #53 and Katie #131 among girls in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2009, Anna was ranked #56 and Katie #92 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2014, Anna was ranked #69 and Katie #94 among girls in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Anna was ranked #125 and Katie #547 among girls in England and Wales.
Anna and Katie over time
Anna and Katie appear together in 5 published lists, across 175 years of shared records. Anna held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Katie 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.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 2 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2013, Anna moved ahead of Katie in England and Wales · Girls — #68 and #66 the year before became #69 and #79.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Anna and Katie changed places 4 times in New South Wales, Australia · Girls between 1976 and 2009, ending at #56 and #92.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 31 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Anna and Katie averaged 16.3 places apart, ending at #56 and #92.
- Longest-running competitions
Anna and Katie were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 31 years, from 1976 to 2009, ending at #56 and #92.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Anna #35 in 1986, Katie #23 in 1986.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls50 shared years, 1973–2025
Anna held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Katie in 25.
Highest recorded here: Anna #12 in 2013, Katie #2 in 2004.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anna #26, Katie #41.
New Zealand · Girls37 shared years, 1976–2014
Anna held the stronger position in 33 of those years, Katie in 4.
Highest recorded here: Anna #3 in 1980, Katie #33 in 1981.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2014: Anna #69, Katie #94.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls31 shared years, 1976–2009
Anna held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Katie in 10.
Highest recorded here: Anna #35 in 1986, Katie #23 in 1986.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2009: Anna #56, Katie #92.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anna held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Katie in 17.
Highest recorded here: Anna #31 in 2000, Katie #9 in 2004.
The order changed in 2013: Anna moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #68 and #66; by 2013 that had become #69 and #79.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anna #125, Katie #547.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Anna held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Katie in 14.
Highest recorded here: Anna #4 in 2016, Katie #1 in 2004.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anna #19, Katie #47.
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 | Katie |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| 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. | A diminutive of Kate, itself a short form of Katherine. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmission | Greek, diminutive form |
| Pronunciation | /ˈa.na/ | /ˈkeɪ.ti/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| 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, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #23 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #41 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Anna is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek/Latin transmission origin, while Katie is recorded with a Greek, diminutive form origin.
- Anna and Katie both have 2 syllables.
- Anna's recorded meaning differs from Katie's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, 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
Katie
Popularity journey
First recorded1973
First recorded at #508 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1973 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2004 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #41 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls