Namewise
Shortlist

Catherine vs Helen

Catherine and Helen compared 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 1982, Catherine was ranked #34 and Helen #84 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1990, Catherine was ranked #50 and Helen #84 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Catherine was ranked #260 and Helen #541 among girls in Scotland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2023, Catherine was ranked #264 and Helen #391 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Catherine was ranked #273 and Helen #381 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2018, Catherine was ranked #509 and Helen #373 among girls in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Catherine was ranked #590 and Helen #705 among girls in England and Wales.

Catherine and Helen over time

Republic of Ireland · Girls
#3#10#30#100#30019642025Catherine #273Helen #3811964: Catherine #2, Helen #131965: Catherine #3, Helen #121966: Catherine #2, Helen #111967: Catherine #3, Helen #131968: Catherine #2, Helen #161969: Catherine #2, Helen #141970: Catherine #2, Helen #141971: Catherine #2, Helen #221972: Catherine #2, Helen #241973: Catherine #2, Helen #271974: Catherine #2, Helen #281975: Catherine #3, Helen #281976: Catherine #3, Helen #321977: Catherine #3, Helen #341978: Catherine #4, Helen #411979: Catherine #4, Helen #421980: Catherine #4, Helen #431981: Catherine #8, Helen #401982: Catherine #10, Helen #411983: Catherine #12, Helen #431984: Catherine #7, Helen #451985: Catherine #14, Helen #471986: Catherine #14, Helen #521987: Catherine #16, Helen #591988: Catherine #17, Helen #501989: Catherine #15, Helen #671990: Catherine #17, Helen #751991: Catherine #19, Helen #761992: Catherine #20, Helen #891993: Catherine #19, Helen #951994: Catherine #24, Helen #961995: Catherine #26, Helen #881996: Catherine #35, Helen #801997: Catherine #34, Helen #851998: Catherine #51, Helen #1071999: Catherine #51, Helen #1212000: Catherine #60, Helen #1202001: Catherine #54, Helen #1472002: Catherine #58, Helen #1822003: Catherine #71, Helen #1422004: Catherine #64, Helen #1532005: Catherine #83, Helen #1602006: Catherine #99, Helen #1782007: Catherine #114, Helen #2412008: Catherine #106, Helen #2372009: Catherine #126, Helen #2722010: Catherine #169, Helen #2362011: Catherine #113, Helen #2202012: Catherine #126, Helen #2952013: Catherine #112, Helen #2542014: Catherine #133, Helen #2912015: Catherine #172, Helen #2222016: Catherine #187, Helen #2542017: Catherine #184, Helen #3162018: Catherine #124, Helen #2552019: Catherine #221, Helen #3952020: Catherine #165, Helen #3362021: Catherine #190, Helen #3902022: Catherine #304, Helen #3892023: Catherine #316, Helen #2622024: Catherine #213, Helen #4412025: Catherine #273, Helen #381

Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.

Norway · Girls
#100#30019472018Catherine #509Helen #3731947: Catherine #366, Helen #1391953: Catherine #391, Helen #1071954: Catherine #420, Helen #1011957: Catherine #415, Helen #1051958: Catherine #449, Helen #1171959: Catherine #408, Helen #1061960: Catherine #461, Helen #1121961: Catherine #316, Helen #1131962: Catherine #310, Helen #1061963: Catherine #317, Helen #991964: Catherine #304, Helen #941965: Catherine #312, Helen #981966: Catherine #347, Helen #1071967: Catherine #283, Helen #1011968: Catherine #256, Helen #1101969: Catherine #291, Helen #1111970: Catherine #279, Helen #931971: Catherine #272, Helen #1021972: Catherine #196, Helen #1311973: Catherine #391, Helen #1341974: Catherine #267, Helen #1201975: Catherine #301, Helen #1241976: Catherine #266, Helen #1251977: Catherine #251, Helen #1351978: Catherine #292, Helen #1321979: Catherine #334, Helen #1411980: Catherine #259, Helen #1531981: Catherine #399, Helen #1361982: Catherine #364, Helen #1331983: Catherine #268, Helen #1341984: Catherine #399, Helen #1601985: Catherine #304, Helen #1181986: Catherine #468, Helen #1251987: Catherine #305, Helen #1611988: Catherine #281, Helen #1751989: Catherine #370, Helen #1491990: Catherine #472, Helen #1751991: Catherine #336, Helen #1791992: Catherine #497, Helen #2201993: Catherine #444, Helen #2221994: Catherine #402, Helen #1621995: Catherine #353, Helen #1751996: Catherine #475, Helen #2121997: Catherine #552, Helen #2001999: Catherine #546, Helen #2332001: Catherine #483, Helen #3062002: Catherine #546, Helen #2412018: Catherine #509, Helen #373

Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.

Catherine and Helen over time

Catherine and Helen appear together in 6 published lists, across 225 years of shared records. Catherine held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Helen 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.

Helen reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Catherine 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 1959, Catherine moved ahead of Helen in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #20 and #18 the year before became #10 and #16.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 31 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Catherine and Helen averaged 19.9 places apart, ending at #34 and #84.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Catherine and Helen were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #590 and #705.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Catherine #68 in 1996, Helen #108 in 1996.

List by list

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

    Catherine held the stronger position in 61 of those years, Helen in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Catherine #2 in 1964, Helen #11 in 1966.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Catherine #273, Helen #381.

  • Norway · Girls48 shared years, 1947–2018

    Catherine held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Helen in 48.

    Highest recorded here: Catherine #196 in 1972, Helen #93 in 1970.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2018: Catherine #509, Helen #373.

  • New Zealand · Girls37 shared years, 1954–1990

    Catherine held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Helen in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Catherine #16 in 1963, Helen #12 in 1958.

    The order changed in 1970: Catherine moved ahead. In 1969 they stood at #24 and #23; by 1970 that had become #22 and #26.

    Most recent shared year, 1990: Catherine #50, Helen #84.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls31 shared years, 1952–1982

    Catherine held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Helen in 7.

    Highest recorded here: Catherine #8 in 1963, Helen #9 in 1952.

    The order changed in 1959: Catherine moved ahead. In 1958 they stood at #20 and #18; by 1959 that had become #10 and #16.

    Most recent shared year, 1982: Catherine #34, Helen #84.

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

    Catherine held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Helen in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Catherine #68 in 1996, Helen #108 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Catherine #590, Helen #705.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls17 shared years, 1997–2023

    Catherine held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Helen in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Catherine #22 in 1997, Helen #132 in 1999.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Catherine #264, Helen #391.

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 Helen

Pairs where Helen 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 — closest over the longest run.

All closest over the longest run →

Other pairs from New Zealand lists

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

New Zealand overview →

Other pairs ranked together in the 1990s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1990 and 1999.

The 1990s across all registrars →

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Catherine, Helen
FieldCatherineHelen
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedThe English form of Greek Helene. The meaning is genuinely debated among scholars — likely from Greek 'helene' ('torch'), though some suggest a connection to 'selene' ('moon'). In mythology, Helen's abduction by Paris sparked the Trojan War; the name's continued Christian use stems from Saint Helena.
OriginNot yet recordedGreek, meaning disputed
Pronunciation/ˈhɛl.ən/
Syllables42
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedHelena, Helene, Ellen, Elena
Recorded regional usageNew South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Norway, New ZealandNew South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Norway, New Zealand
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #273 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #381 (2025)
Data Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • Helen has a recorded origin (Greek, meaning disputed); Catherine does not have one recorded yet.
  • Catherine has 4 syllables, compared with 2 for Helen.
  • A meaning is recorded for Helen; Catherine doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Catherine a "medium" Data Confidence level and Helen a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

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

Helen

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #149 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1952–1982

    Highest recorded position: #9 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1982).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #705 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls