Namewise

Ashleigh vs Kate

Ashleigh 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.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2005, Ashleigh was ranked #72 and Kate #24 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2021, Ashleigh was ranked #764 and Kate #28 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2005, Ashleigh was ranked #87 and Kate #69 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2016, Ashleigh was ranked #440 and Kate #92 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Ashleigh was ranked #1819 and Kate #1302 among girls in England and Wales.

Ashleigh and Kate over time

Ashleigh and Kate appear together in 5 published lists, across 123 years of shared records. Kate held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Ashleigh 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.

Ashleigh reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Kate 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 moved ahead of the other

    In 1997, Kate moved ahead of Ashleigh in England and Wales · Girls — #58 and #59 the year before became #68 and #64.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Ashleigh and Kate changed places 4 times in New South Wales, Australia · Girls between 1985 and 2005, ending at #87 and #69.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 21 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Ashleigh and Kate averaged 9.1 places apart, ending at #87 and #69.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 37 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Kate rose about as far as Ashleigh fell — from #417 and #303 in 1971 to #764 and #28 in 2021.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Ashleigh and Kate were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 37 years, from 1971 to 2021, ending at #764 and #28.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Ashleigh #58 in 1996, Kate #59 in 1996.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1996 they stood at #58 and #59 in England and Wales · Girls, 1 places apart; by 2024 they were #1819 and #1302.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls37 shared years, 1971–2021

    Ashleigh held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Kate in 37.

    Highest recorded here: Ashleigh #162 in 1995, Kate #10 in 2007.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2021: Ashleigh #764, Kate #28.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024

    Ashleigh held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Kate in 28.

    Highest recorded here: Ashleigh #58 in 1996, Kate #59 in 1996.

    The order changed in 1997: Kate moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #58 and #59; by 1997 that had become #68 and #64.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Ashleigh #1819, Kate #1302.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls21 shared years, 1985–2005

    Ashleigh held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Kate in 6.

    Highest recorded here: Ashleigh #13 in 1993, Kate #11 in 1986.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2005: Ashleigh #87, Kate #69.

  • New Zealand · Girls20 shared years, 1986–2005

    Ashleigh held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Kate in 12.

    Highest recorded here: Ashleigh #8 in 1992, Kate #14 in 2000.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2005: Ashleigh #72, Kate #24.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls16 shared years, 1997–2016

    Ashleigh held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Kate in 15.

    Highest recorded here: Ashleigh #87 in 1997, Kate #47 in 2005.

    The order changed in 1998: Kate moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #87 and #104; by 1998 that had become #105 and #69.

    Most recent shared year, 2016: Ashleigh #440, Kate #92.

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 Ashleigh

Pairs where Ashleigh shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Kate

Pairs where Kate 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 — started together, ended far apart.

All started together, ended far apart→

Other pairs from England and Wales lists

Pairs measured inside England and Wales's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

England and Wales 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 Ashleigh, Kate
FieldAshleighKate
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedA 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.
OriginNot yet recordedGreek, short form of Katherine
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˈkeɪt/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Girls #1819 (2024)Republic of Ireland · Girls #52 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)53/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Kate has a recorded origin (Greek, short form of Katherine); Ashleigh does not have one recorded yet.
  • Ashleigh and Kate both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Kate; Ashleigh doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Ashleigh

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1971

    First recorded at #417 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1971 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1986–2005

    Highest recorded position: #8 among girls in New Zealand, in 1992 (recorded 1986–2005).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #1819 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.

    England and Wales · Girls

Kate

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #10 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2007 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #52 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls