Namewise

Ashleigh vs Katherine

Ashleigh 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 2000, Ashleigh was ranked #38 and Katherine #81 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2001, Ashleigh was ranked #40 and Katherine #76 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2016, Ashleigh was ranked #440 and Katherine #353 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2021, Ashleigh was ranked #764 and Katherine #517 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Ashleigh was ranked #2788 and Katherine #872 among girls in England and Wales.

Ashleigh and Katherine over time

Ashleigh and Katherine appear together in 5 published lists, across 112 years of shared records. Katherine held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Ashleigh 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.

Katherine reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Ashleigh 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 Zealand · Girls, Ashleigh moved into the top 50 at #31 in 1987 as Katherine fell out of it to #57, having been #42 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1987, Ashleigh moved ahead of Katherine in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #31 and #29 the year before became #24 and #29.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Ashleigh and Katherine were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #2788 and #872.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Ashleigh #58 in 1996, Katherine #48 in 1996.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1996 they stood at #58 and #48 in England and Wales · Girls, 10 places apart; by 2025 they were #2788 and #872.

List by list

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

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

    Highest recorded here: Ashleigh #162 in 1995, Katherine #87 in 1985.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2021: Ashleigh #764, Katherine #517.

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

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

    Highest recorded here: Ashleigh #58 in 1996, Katherine #48 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Ashleigh #2788, Katherine #872.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls16 shared years, 1997–2016

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

    Highest recorded here: Ashleigh #87 in 1997, Katherine #56 in 1998.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2016: Ashleigh #440, Katherine #353.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls15 shared years, 1985–2000

    Ashleigh held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Katherine in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Ashleigh #13 in 1993, Katherine #25 in 1985.

    The order changed in 1987: Ashleigh moved ahead. In 1986 they stood at #31 and #29; by 1987 that had become #24 and #29.

    Most recent shared year, 2000: Ashleigh #38, Katherine #81.

  • New Zealand · Girls14 shared years, 1986–2001

    Ashleigh held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Katherine in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Ashleigh #8 in 1992, Katherine #40 in 1989.

    The order changed in 1987: Ashleigh moved ahead. In 1986 they stood at #62 and #42; by 1987 that had become #31 and #57.

    Most recent shared year, 2001: Ashleigh #40, Katherine #76.

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 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 — one took the other's place near the top.

All one took the other's place near the top→

Other pairs from New Zealand lists

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

New Zealand overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2000s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2000 and 2009.

The 2000s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Ashleigh, Katherine
FieldAshleighKatherine
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 recordedNot yet recorded
Syllables24
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 #2788 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #608 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)53/10070/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Ashleigh has 2 syllables, compared with 4 for Katherine.
  • 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 recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #2788 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