Caitlin vs Kate
Caitlin 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.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2008, Caitlin was ranked #50 and Kate #84 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Caitlin was ranked #247 and Kate #52 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2014, Caitlin was ranked #96 and Kate #81 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Caitlin was ranked #119 and Kate #134 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Caitlin was ranked #333 and Kate #541 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Caitlin was ranked #610 and Kate #1302 among girls in England and Wales.
Caitlin and Kate over time
Caitlin and Kate appear together in 5 published lists, across 151 years of shared records. Caitlin held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Kate 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.
Caitlin reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Kate in 2. 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 1997, Caitlin moved ahead of Kate in England and Wales · Girls — #66 and #59 the year before became #46 and #64.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Caitlin and Kate changed places 6 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1989 and 2014, ending at #96 and #81.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 22 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Caitlin and Kate averaged 29.0 places apart, ending at #50 and #84.
- Longest-running competitions
Caitlin and Kate were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 47 years, from 1975 to 2025, ending at #247 and #52.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Girls within 2 years — Caitlin #10 in 1998, Kate #14 in 2000.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #66 and #59 in England and Wales · Girls, 7 places apart; by 2024 they were #610 and #1302.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls47 shared years, 1975–2025
Caitlin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Kate in 47.
Highest recorded here: Caitlin #31 in 2003, Kate #10 in 2007.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Caitlin #247, Kate #52.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Caitlin held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Kate in 1.
Highest recorded here: Caitlin #21 in 2001, Kate #59 in 1996.
The order changed in 1997: Caitlin moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #66 and #59; by 1997 that had become #46 and #64.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Caitlin #610, Kate #1302.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Caitlin held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Kate in 4.
Highest recorded here: Caitlin #2 in 2002, Kate #47 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Caitlin #119, Kate #134.
New Zealand · Girls25 shared years, 1989–2014
Caitlin held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Kate in 15.
Highest recorded here: Caitlin #10 in 1998, Kate #14 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2014: Caitlin #96, Kate #81.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls22 shared years, 1987–2008
Caitlin held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Kate in 6.
Highest recorded here: Caitlin #10 in 1998, Kate #15 in 1987.
The order changed in 1993: Caitlin moved ahead. In 1992 they stood at #30 and #15; by 1993 that had become #21 and #24.
Most recent shared year, 2008: Caitlin #50, Kate #84.
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 | Kate |
|---|---|---|
| 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 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 | Irish, cognate of the wider Katherine family | Greek, short form of Katherine |
| Pronunciation | /ˈkeɪt.lɪn/ | /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 #247 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #52 (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 Kate is recorded with a Greek, short form of Katherine origin.
- Caitlin and Kate both have 2 syllables.
- Caitlin's recorded meaning differs from Kate'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
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