Caitlin vs Ella
Caitlin and Ellacompared 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 2014, Caitlin was ranked #96 and Ella #7 among girls in New Zealand.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Caitlin was ranked #333 and Ella #9 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Caitlin was ranked #119 and Ella #12 among girls in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2013, Caitlin was ranked #78 and Ella #14 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Caitlin was ranked #247 and Ella #17 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Caitlin was ranked #610 and Ella #39 among girls in England and Wales.
Caitlin and Ella over time
Caitlin and Ella appear together in 5 published lists, across 135 years of shared records. Ella held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Caitlin in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Caitlin reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Ella 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 2002, Ella moved ahead of Caitlin in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #12 and #19 the year before became #15 and #11.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 20 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Caitlin and Ella averaged 31.1 places apart, ending at #96 and #7.
- Longest-running competitions
Caitlin and Ella were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 42 years, from 1980 to 2025, ending at #247 and #17.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #66 and #56 in England and Wales · Girls, 10 places apart; by 2024 they were #610 and #39.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls42 shared years, 1980–2025
Caitlin held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Ella in 29.
Highest recorded here: Caitlin #31 in 2003, Ella #3 in 2007.
The order changed in 2002: Ella moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #34 and #48; by 2002 that had become #38 and #28.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Caitlin #247, Ella #17.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Caitlin held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Ella in 26.
Highest recorded here: Caitlin #21 in 2001, Ella #6 in 2015.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Caitlin #610, Ella #39.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Caitlin held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Ella in 16.
Highest recorded here: Caitlin #2 in 2002, Ella #2 in 2015.
The order changed in 2009: Ella moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #18 and #20; by 2009 that had become #29 and #18.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Caitlin #119, Ella #12.
New Zealand · Girls20 shared years, 1993–2014
Caitlin held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Ella in 12.
Highest recorded here: Caitlin #10 in 1998, Ella #1 in 2007.
The order changed in 2002: Ella moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #11 and #12; by 2002 that had become #12 and #7.
Most recent shared year, 2014: Caitlin #96, Ella #7.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls16 shared years, 1998–2013
Caitlin held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Ella in 12.
Highest recorded here: Caitlin #10 in 1998, Ella #2 in 2007.
The order changed in 2002: Ella moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #12 and #19; by 2002 that had become #15 and #11.
Most recent shared year, 2013: Caitlin #78, Ella #14.
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 | Caitlin | Ella |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | An Anglicized form of Caitlín, itself a cognate of Katherine/Catalina traditions across Europe. | A diminutive of Eleanor, Ellen and other names beginning with 'El-', also used as a short form of names ending in '-ella'. Widely used across Scandinavian and Germanic languages as well as English. |
| Origin | Irish, cognate of the wider Katherine family | Germanic, diminutive form |
| Pronunciation | /ˈkeɪt.lɪn/ | /ˈɛl.ə/ |
| 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 #247 (2025) | Norway · Girls #4 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Caitlin is recorded with a Irish, cognate of the wider Katherine family origin, while Ella is recorded with a Germanic, diminutive form origin.
- Caitlin and Ella both have 2 syllables.
- Caitlin's recorded meaning differs from Ella's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Caitlin
Popularity journey
First recorded1967
First recorded at #393 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1967 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2002 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #247 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Ella
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #137 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1993–2023
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New Zealand, in 2007 (recorded 1993–2023).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #11 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls