Caitlin vs Ellie
Caitlin and Elliecompared 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, Caitlin was ranked #247 and Ellie #15 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Caitlin was ranked #119 and Ellie #18 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Caitlin was ranked #333 and Ellie #35 among girls in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2013, Caitlin was ranked #78 and Ellie #50 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2014, Caitlin was ranked #96 and Ellie #58 among girls in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Caitlin was ranked #1028 and Ellie #119 among girls in England and Wales.
Caitlin and Ellie over time
Caitlin and Ellie appear together in 4 published lists, across 105 years of shared records. Ellie held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Caitlin 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.
Caitlin reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Ellie 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 2010, Ellie moved ahead of Caitlin in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #49 and #83 the year before became #75 and #53.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Girls, Caitlin and Ellie averaged 50.0 places apart, ending at #119 and #18.
- Longest-running competitions
Caitlin and Ellie were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1028 and #119.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Caitlin #21 in 2001, Ellie #2 in 2003.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls34 shared years, 1987–2025
Caitlin held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Ellie in 21.
Highest recorded here: Caitlin #31 in 2003, Ellie #6 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Caitlin #247, Ellie #15.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Caitlin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Ellie in 30.
Highest recorded here: Caitlin #21 in 2001, Ellie #2 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Caitlin #1028, Ellie #119.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Caitlin held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Ellie in 21.
Highest recorded here: Caitlin #2 in 2002, Ellie #3 in 2005.
The order changed in 2004: Ellie moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #4 and #6; by 2004 that had become #11 and #4.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Caitlin #119, Ellie #18.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls13 shared years, 1992–2013
Caitlin held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Ellie in 4.
Highest recorded here: Caitlin #15 in 2002, Ellie #50 in 2013.
The order changed in 2010: Ellie moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #49 and #83; by 2010 that had become #75 and #53.
Most recent shared year, 2013: Caitlin #78, Ellie #50.
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 | Ellie |
|---|---|---|
| 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 several longer names, particularly Eleanor, Ellen and Elizabeth. |
| Origin | Irish, cognate of the wider Katherine family | Various, diminutive form |
| Pronunciation | /ˈkeɪt.lɪn/ | /ˈɛl.i/ |
| 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) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #15 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 94/100 |
| 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 Ellie is recorded with a Various, diminutive form origin.
- Caitlin and Ellie both have 2 syllables.
- Caitlin's recorded meaning differs from Ellie'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 #1028 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Ellie
Popularity journey
First recorded1987
First recorded at #488 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1987 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in England and Wales, in 2003 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #119 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls