Bailey vs Cathan

Bailey and Cathancompared 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.

England and Wales · Boys
In 2008, Bailey was ranked #76 and Cathan #4432 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Bailey was ranked #256 and Cathan #278 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2004, Bailey was ranked #351 and Cathan #506 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

Bailey and Cathan over time

Bailey and Cathan appear together in 1 published list, across 13 years of shared records. Bailey held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Cathan in 0.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

Bailey reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Cathan 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.

List by list

Northern Ireland · Boys13 shared years, 2003–2024
Bailey held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Cathan in 0.
Highest recorded here: Bailey #90 in 2006, Cathan #221 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Bailey #256, Cathan #278.

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 Bailey

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

Jack vs Bailey
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — Jack #1 in 2003, Bailey #23 in 2004.
Jack · Bailey · 19 shared years, 1996–2014 · Peaked in the same years
See the 2004 New South Wales, Australia ranking
Mason vs Bailey
In New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Mason moved into the top 50 at #27 in 2011 as Bailey fell out of it to #63, having been #47 the year before.
Mason · Bailey · 11 shared years, 2003–2014 · One took the other's place near the top
See the 2011 New South Wales, Australia ranking
Hunter vs Bailey
In New Zealand · Boys, Hunter moved into the top 50 at #36 in 2005 as Bailey fell out of it to #67, having been #47 the year before.
Hunter · Bailey · 10 shared years, 1999–2008 · One took the other's place near the top
See the 2005 New Zealand ranking
Mitchell vs Bailey
In New Zealand · Boys, Bailey moved into the top 50 at #36 in 2003 as Mitchell fell out of it to #61, having been #36 the year before.
Mitchell · Bailey · 11 shared years, 1996–2006 · One took the other's place near the top
See the 2003 New Zealand ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Bailey, Cathan
Field	Bailey	Cathan
Record type	Official statistical record (evidence-only)	Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usage	male	male
Meaning	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Origin	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Pronunciation	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Syllables	2	2
Common variants / nicknames	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Recorded regional usage	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ	GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE
Most recent popularity observation	Republic of Ireland · Girls #608 (2025)	Northern Ireland · Boys #278 (2024)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	88/100	88/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	100/100	100/100
Data Confidence	medium	medium

What the data shows

Bailey and Cathan both have 2 syllables.
Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.

How each name got here

Bailey

Popularity journey

First recorded1996
First recorded at #848 among girls in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2014
Highest recorded position: #23 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2004 (recorded 1996–2014).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #608 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls

Cathan

Popularity journey

First recorded1998
First recorded at #2074 among boys in England and Wales in 1998 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Boys
Highest recorded2003–2024
Highest recorded position: #221 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2022 (recorded 2003–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #278 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2024.
Northern Ireland · Boys