Anne vs Kate
Anne and Katecompared 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 2025, Anne was ranked #544 and Kate #52 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1976, Anne was ranked #80 and Kate #57 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2015, Anne was ranked #358 and Kate #81 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2022, Anne was ranked #121 and Kate #490 among girls in Norway.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Anne was ranked #638 and Kate #541 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Anne was ranked #1036 and Kate #1302 among girls in England and Wales.
Anne and Kate over time
Anne and Kate appear together in 4 published lists, across 164 years of shared records. Kate held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Anne in 1.
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.
Anne reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Kate 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 Republic of Ireland · Girls, Kate moved into the top 50 at #36 in 1989 as Anne fell out of it to #55, having been #40 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1989, Kate moved ahead of Anne in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #40 and #45 the year before became #55 and #36.
- Longest-running competitions
Anne and Kate were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 66 years, from 1945 to 2022, ending at #121 and #490.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Anne #432 in 1996, Kate #59 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Girls66 shared years, 1945–2022
Anne held the stronger position in 66 of those years, Kate in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anne #1 in 1945, Kate #104 in 1956.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Anne #121, Kate #490.
Republic of Ireland · Girls58 shared years, 1964–2025
Anne held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Kate in 37.
Highest recorded here: Anne #5 in 1964, Kate #10 in 2007.
The order changed in 1989: Kate moved ahead. In 1988 they stood at #40 and #45; by 1989 that had become #55 and #36.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anne #544, Kate #52.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anne held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Kate in 28.
Highest recorded here: Anne #432 in 1996, Kate #59 in 1996.
The order changed in 2024: Anne moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #1640 and #1108; by 2024 that had become #1036 and #1302.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anne #1036, Kate #1302.
Northern Ireland · Girls11 shared years, 1998–2015
Anne held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Kate in 11.
Highest recorded here: Anne #225 in 2003, Kate #47 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2015: Anne #358, Kate #81.
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 | Anne | Kate |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | The French form of Anna, from the Hebrew root 'hanan' carrying the sense of grace or favour. Imported to England in the 13th century but not popular until three centuries later. | A short form of Katherine, used independently since the Middle Ages — appears in Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew (1593) as a short form of Katherina. |
| Origin | Hebrew, via French transmission | Greek, short form of Katherine |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɑː.nə/ | /ˈkeɪt/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Ann, Ane, Anna | 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 #159 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #52 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Anne is recorded with a Hebrew, via French transmission origin, while Kate is recorded with a Greek, short form of Katherine origin.
- Anne and Kate both have 2 syllables.
- Anne's recorded meaning differs from Kate's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Anne a "high" Data Confidence level and Kate a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Anne
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #1 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Norway, in 1945 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #159 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls
Kate
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #233 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: #10 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2007 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #52 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls