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 2024, Catherine was ranked #594 and Kim #4192 among girls in England and Wales.
Catherine and Kim over time
Catherine and Kim appear together in 5 published lists, across 192 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 New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 33 years, from 1952 to 1984, ending at #38 and #80.
- 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 · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Catherine held the stronger position in 29 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, 2024: Catherine #594, Kim #4192.
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.
Side by side
| Field | Catherine | Kim |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | Used for both boys and girls |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | |
| Syllables | 4 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #273 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #736 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 70/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
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
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
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #273 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Kim
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1958–1985
Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in New Zealand, in 1968 (recorded 1958–1985).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #4192 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls