Brooke vs Kate
Brooke 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, Brooke was ranked #213 and Kate #52 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2014, Brooke was ranked #82 and Kate #81 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2008, Brooke was ranked #83 and Kate #84 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Brooke was ranked #192 and Kate #134 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Brooke was ranked #207 and Kate #541 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Brooke was ranked #313 and Kate #1302 among girls in England and Wales.
Brooke and Kate over time
Brooke and Kate appear together in 5 published lists, across 149 years of shared records. Kate held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Brooke 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.
Kate reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Brooke 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 moved ahead of the other
In 2004, Brooke moved ahead of Kate in England and Wales · Girls — #93 and #73 the year before became #74 and #92.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Brooke and Kate changed places 8 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1986 and 2014, ending at #82 and #81.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 34 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Brooke and Kate averaged 17.0 places apart, ending at #83 and #84.
- Longest-running competitions
Brooke and Kate were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 34 years, from 1974 to 2008, ending at #83 and #84.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Girls within 2 years — Brooke #13 in 2001, Kate #14 in 2000.
List by list
New South Wales, Australia · Girls34 shared years, 1974–2008
Brooke held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Kate in 19.
Highest recorded here: Brooke #14 in 1998, Kate #11 in 1986.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2008: Brooke #83, Kate #84.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Brooke held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Kate in 8.
Highest recorded here: Brooke #39 in 2009, Kate #59 in 1996.
The order changed in 2004: Brooke moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #93 and #73; by 2004 that had become #74 and #92.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Brooke #313, Kate #1302.
New Zealand · Girls29 shared years, 1986–2014
Brooke held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Kate in 15.
Highest recorded here: Brooke #13 in 2001, Kate #14 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2014: Brooke #82, Kate #81.
Republic of Ireland · Girls29 shared years, 1982–2025
Brooke held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Kate in 29.
Highest recorded here: Brooke #72 in 2010, Kate #10 in 2007.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Brooke #213, Kate #52.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Brooke held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Kate in 16.
Highest recorded here: Brooke #36 in 2008, Kate #47 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Brooke #192, Kate #134.
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 | Brooke | Kate |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | 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 | Not yet recorded | Greek, short form of Katherine |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈkeɪt/ |
| 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 | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #213 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #52 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Kate has a recorded origin (Greek, short form of Katherine); Brooke does not have one recorded yet.
- Brooke and Kate both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Kate; Brooke doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Brooke
Popularity journey
First recorded1974
First recorded at #94 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1974 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1986–2014
Highest recorded position: #13 among girls in New Zealand, in 2001 (recorded 1986–2014).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #213 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · 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