Namewise

Caroline vs Katherine

Caroline and Katherinecompared 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 1981, Caroline was ranked #84 and Katherine #33 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1985, Caroline was ranked #85 and Katherine #37 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2001, Caroline was ranked #44 and Katherine #334 among girls in Norway.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2015, Caroline was ranked #358 and Katherine #209 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Caroline was ranked #381 and Katherine #608 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Caroline was ranked #1271 and Katherine #872 among girls in England and Wales.

Caroline and Katherine over time

Caroline and Katherine appear together in 6 published lists, across 176 years of shared records. Katherine held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Caroline in 2.

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.

Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 2 of the lists they share.

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 1972, Katherine moved ahead of Caroline in New Zealand · Girls — #68 and #80 the year before became #89 and #57.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Caroline and Katherine changed places 5 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1961 and 1985, ending at #85 and #37.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 20 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Caroline and Katherine averaged 32.1 places apart, ending at #84 and #33.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Caroline and Katherine were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1271 and #872.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Caroline #182 in 1996, Katherine #48 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Caroline held the stronger position in 51 of those years, Katherine in 9.

    Highest recorded here: Caroline #3 in 1979, Katherine #71 in 1965.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Caroline #381, Katherine #608.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Caroline held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Katherine in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Caroline #182 in 1996, Katherine #48 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Caroline #1271, Katherine #872.

  • New Zealand · Girls25 shared years, 1961–1985

    Caroline held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Katherine in 20.

    Highest recorded here: Caroline #56 in 1978, Katherine #32 in 1984.

    The order changed in 1972: Katherine moved ahead. In 1971 they stood at #68 and #80; by 1972 that had become #89 and #57.

    Most recent shared year, 1985: Caroline #85, Katherine #37.

  • Norway · Girls25 shared years, 1963–2001

    Caroline held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Katherine in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Caroline #15 in 1990, Katherine #323 in 1983.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2001: Caroline #44, Katherine #334.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls20 shared years, 1957–1981

    Caroline held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Katherine in 20.

    Highest recorded here: Caroline #65 in 1979, Katherine #27 in 1980.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1981: Caroline #84, Katherine #33.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls14 shared years, 1997–2015

    Caroline held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Katherine in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Caroline #112 in 1998, Katherine #56 in 1998.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2015: Caroline #358, Katherine #209.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Caroline

Pairs where Caroline shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Katherine

Pairs where Katherine shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — repeatedly exchanged positions.

All repeatedly exchanged positions→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Republic of Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Republic of Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Caroline, Katherine
FieldCarolineKatherine
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
PronunciationNot yet recorded
Syllables44
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #381 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #608 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)76/10070/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Caroline and Katherine both have 4 syllables.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Caroline

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1957

    First recorded at #94 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1957 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1979 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1271 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Katherine

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1955

    First recorded at #100 among girls in New Zealand in 1955 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New Zealand · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1956–2000

    Highest recorded position: #24 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1982 (recorded 1956–2000).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #872 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls