Namewise

Catherine vs Kelly

Catherine and Kellycompared 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 Zealand · Girls

    In 1997, Catherine was ranked #96 and Kelly #70 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1993, Catherine was ranked #88 and Kelly #83 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2021, Catherine was ranked #139 and Kelly #446 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Catherine was ranked #260 and Kelly #790 among girls in Scotland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2023, Catherine was ranked #316 and Kelly #404 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2002, Catherine was ranked #546 and Kelly #511 among girls in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Catherine was ranked #590 and Kelly #2006 among girls in England and Wales.

Catherine and Kelly over time

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

The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Catherine reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Kelly 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.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1973, Kelly moved ahead of Catherine in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #20 and #28 the year before became #32 and #19.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Catherine and Kelly changed places 5 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1970 and 1997, ending at #96 and #70.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 28 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Catherine and Kelly averaged 22.4 places apart, ending at #88 and #83.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Catherine and Kelly were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #590 and #2006.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Catherine #68 in 1996, Kelly #74 in 1996.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1996 they stood at #68 and #74 in England and Wales · Girls, 6 places apart; by 2025 they were #590 and #2006.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls54 shared years, 1969–2023

    Catherine held the stronger position in 47 of those years, Kelly in 7.

    Highest recorded here: Catherine #2 in 1969, Kelly #35 in 1994.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Catherine #316, Kelly #404.

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

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

    Highest recorded here: Catherine #68 in 1996, Kelly #74 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Catherine #590, Kelly #2006.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls28 shared years, 1964–1993

    Catherine held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Kelly in 20.

    Highest recorded here: Catherine #9 in 1968, Kelly #6 in 1979.

    The order changed in 1973: Kelly moved ahead. In 1972 they stood at #20 and #28; by 1973 that had become #32 and #19.

    Most recent shared year, 1993: Catherine #88, Kelly #83.

  • New Zealand · Girls28 shared years, 1970–1997

    Catherine held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Kelly in 25.

    Highest recorded here: Catherine #19 in 1973, Kelly #3 in 1978.

    The order changed in 1997: Kelly moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #66 and #70; by 1997 that had become #96 and #70.

    Most recent shared year, 1997: Catherine #96, Kelly #70.

  • Norway · Girls19 shared years, 1967–2002

    Catherine held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Kelly in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Catherine #251 in 1977, Kelly #380 in 1997.

    The order changed in 2002: Kelly moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #483 and #541; by 2002 that had become #546 and #511.

    Most recent shared year, 2002: Catherine #546, Kelly #511.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls17 shared years, 1997–2021

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

    Highest recorded here: Catherine #22 in 1997, Kelly #101 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2021: Catherine #139, Kelly #446.

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 Kelly

Pairs where Kelly 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 England and Wales lists

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

England and Wales 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, Kelly
FieldCatherineKelly
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Pronunciation
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, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #273 (2025)England and Wales · Girls #2006 (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 Kelly.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, 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

Kelly

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #93 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1970–1998

    Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in New Zealand, in 1978 (recorded 1970–1998).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #2006 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls