Namewise

Catherine vs Kim

Catherine and Kimcompared 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 1984, Catherine was ranked #38 and Kim #80 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1985, Catherine was ranked #38 and Kim #78 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2012, Catherine was ranked #89 and Kim #451 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Catherine was ranked #213 and Kim #736 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2002, Catherine was ranked #546 and Kim #415 among girls in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Catherine was ranked #590 and Kim #3333 among girls in England and Wales.

Catherine and Kim over time

Catherine and Kim appear together in 5 published lists, across 193 years of shared records. Catherine held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Kim in 2.

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

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.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Catherine and Kim changed places 8 times in New South Wales, Australia · Girls between 1952 and 1984, ending at #38 and #80.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 33 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Catherine and Kim averaged 12.2 places apart, ending at #38 and #80.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Catherine and Kim were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #590 and #3333.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Catherine #68 in 1996, Kim #382 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls57 shared years, 1964–2024

    Catherine held the stronger position in 57 of those years, Kim in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Catherine #2 in 1964, Kim #64 in 1992.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Catherine #213, Kim #736.

  • Norway · Girls45 shared years, 1953–2002

    Catherine held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Kim in 26.

    Highest recorded here: Catherine #196 in 1972, Kim #205 in 1967.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2002: Catherine #546, Kim #415.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls33 shared years, 1952–1984

    Catherine held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Kim in 17.

    Highest recorded here: Catherine #8 in 1963, Kim #6 in 1959.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1984: Catherine #38, Kim #80.

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

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

    Highest recorded here: Catherine #68 in 1996, Kim #382 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Catherine #590, Kim #3333.

  • New Zealand · Girls28 shared years, 1958–1985

    Catherine held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Kim in 11.

    Highest recorded here: Catherine #16 in 1963, Kim #5 in 1968.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1985: Catherine #38, Kim #78.

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 Kim

Pairs where Kim 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 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, Kim
FieldCatherineKim
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemaleUsed for both boys and girls
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
PronunciationNot yet recorded
Syllables41
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)England and Wales · Girls #3333 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)70/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Catherine has 4 syllables, compared with 1 for Kim.
  • 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

Kim

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1951

    First recorded at #344 among girls in Norway in 1951 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1958–1985

    Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in New Zealand, in 1968 (recorded 1958–1985).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #3333 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls