Namewise

Catherine vs Geraldine

Catherine and Geraldinecompared 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 2010, Catherine was ranked #108 and Geraldine #430 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2021, Catherine was ranked #190 and Geraldine #883 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Catherine was ranked #590 and Geraldine #5927 among girls in England and Wales.

Catherine and Geraldine over time

Catherine and Geraldine appear together in 2 published lists, across 77 years of shared records. Catherine held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Geraldine in 0.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

Catherine reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Geraldine 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

    Catherine and Geraldine were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 51 years, from 1964 to 2021, ending at #190 and #883.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Catherine #68 in 1996, Geraldine #848 in 1996.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1964 they stood at #2 and #9 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 7 places apart; by 2021 they were #190 and #883.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls51 shared years, 1964–2021

    Catherine held the stronger position in 51 of those years, Geraldine in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Catherine #2 in 1964, Geraldine #7 in 1965.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2021: Catherine #190, Geraldine #883.

  • England and Wales · Girls26 shared years, 1996–2025

    Catherine held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Geraldine in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Catherine #68 in 1996, Geraldine #848 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Catherine #590, Geraldine #5927.

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 Catherine

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

Other comparisons involving Geraldine

Pairs where Geraldine 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 — started together, ended far apart.

All started together, ended far apart→

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 Catherine, Geraldine
FieldCatherineGeraldine
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Pronunciation
Syllables44
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZGB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #273 (2025)England and Wales · Girls #5927 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)70/10070/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Catherine and Geraldine both have 4 syllables.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.

How each name got here

Catherine

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1947

    First recorded at #366 among girls in Norway in 1947 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #590 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Geraldine

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #9 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1964–2021

    Highest recorded position: #7 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1965 (recorded 1964–2021).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #5927 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls