Namewise

Caitlin vs Maddie

Caitlin and Maddiecompared 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.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Caitlin was ranked #119 and Maddie #150 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Caitlin was ranked #247 and Maddie #294 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Caitlin was ranked #333 and Maddie #476 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Caitlin was ranked #1028 and Maddie #357 among girls in England and Wales.

Caitlin and Maddie over time

Caitlin and Maddie appear together in 3 published lists, across 69 years of shared records. Caitlin held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Maddie in 0.

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.

Caitlin reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Maddie 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.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Caitlin and Maddie were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1028 and #357.

List by list

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 19962025

    Caitlin held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Maddie in 6.

    Highest recorded here: Caitlin #21 in 2001, Maddie #255 in 2005.

    The order changed in 2020: Maddie moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #458 and #562; by 2020 that had become #525 and #454.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Caitlin #1028, Maddie #357.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls23 shared years, 20022024

    Caitlin held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Maddie in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Caitlin #2 in 2002, Maddie #127 in 2022.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Caitlin #119, Maddie #150.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls16 shared years, 20082025

    Caitlin held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Maddie in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Caitlin #46 in 2008, Maddie #232 in 2024.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Caitlin #247, Maddie #294.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Caitlin, Maddie
FieldCaitlinMaddie
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningAn Anglicized form of Caitlín, itself a cognate of Katherine/Catalina traditions across Europe.Not yet recorded
OriginIrish, cognate of the wider Katherine familyNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈkeɪt.lɪn/Not yet recorded
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #247 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #294 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Caitlin has a recorded origin (Irish, cognate of the wider Katherine family); Maddie does not have one recorded yet.
  • Caitlin and Maddie both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Caitlin; Maddie doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.

How each name got here

Caitlin

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1997–2024

    Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2002 (recorded 1997–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1028 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Maddie

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1996

    First recorded at #643 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

  2. Highest recorded2002–2024

    Highest recorded position: #127 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2022 (recorded 2002–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #357 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls