Namewise

Catherine vs Karen

Catherine and Karencompared 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 1986, Catherine was ranked #47 and Karen #98 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1986, Catherine was ranked #48 and Karen #100 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2010, Catherine was ranked #108 and Karen #430 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2018, Catherine was ranked #509 and Karen #210 among girls in Norway.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2019, Catherine was ranked #221 and Karen #871 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Catherine was ranked #590 and Karen #2440 among girls in England and Wales.

Catherine and Karen over time

Catherine and Karen appear together in 6 published lists, across 212 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

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.

Karen reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Catherine in 1. 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 1980, Catherine moved ahead of Karen in New Zealand · Girls — #34 and #29 the year before became #24 and #42.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 35 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Catherine and Karen averaged 14.9 places apart, ending at #47 and #98.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Catherine and Karen were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 35 years, from 1952 to 1986, ending at #47 and #98.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Catherine #68 in 1996, Karen #417 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls56 shared years, 1964–2019

    Catherine held the stronger position in 55 of those years, Karen in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Catherine #2 in 1964, Karen #5 in 1977.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2019: Catherine #221, Karen #871.

  • Norway · Girls48 shared years, 1947–2018

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

    Highest recorded here: Catherine #196 in 1972, Karen #67 in 1953.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2018: Catherine #509, Karen #210.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls35 shared years, 1952–1986

    Catherine held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Karen in 26.

    Highest recorded here: Catherine #8 in 1963, Karen #1 in 1963.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1986: Catherine #47, Karen #98.

  • New Zealand · Girls33 shared years, 1954–1986

    Catherine held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Karen in 26.

    Highest recorded here: Catherine #16 in 1963, Karen #1 in 1957.

    The order changed in 1980: Catherine moved ahead. In 1979 they stood at #34 and #29; by 1980 that had become #24 and #42.

    Most recent shared year, 1986: Catherine #48, Karen #100.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2025

    Catherine held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Karen in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Catherine #68 in 1996, Karen #417 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Catherine #590, Karen #2440.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls11 shared years, 1997–2010

    Catherine held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Karen in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Catherine #22 in 1997, Karen #133 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2010: Catherine #108, Karen #430.

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 Karen

Pairs where Karen 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 — peaked in the same years.

All peaked in the same years→

Other pairs from New South Wales, Australia lists

Pairs measured inside New South Wales, Australia'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 South Wales, Australia overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 1980s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1980 and 1989.

The 1980s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Catherine, Karen
FieldCatherineKaren
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
Syllables42
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #273 (2025)Norway · Girls #442 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)70/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Catherine has 4 syllables, compared with 2 for Karen.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.

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

Karen

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #70 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 recorded1952–1986

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1963 (recorded 1952–1986).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #2440 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls