Namewise

Catherine vs Leanne

Catherine and Leannecompared 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 1985, Catherine was ranked #38 and Leanne #95 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1986, Catherine was ranked #47 and Leanne #95 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2010, Catherine was ranked #108 and Leanne #366 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2021, Catherine was ranked #190 and Leanne #883 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

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

Catherine and Leanne over time

Catherine and Leanne appear together in 5 published lists, across 142 years of shared records. Catherine held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Leanne in 1.

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

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

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Catherine and Leanne changed places 4 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1961 and 1985, ending at #38 and #95.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 29 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Catherine and Leanne averaged 13.5 places apart, ending at #47 and #95.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Catherine and Leanne 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, Leanne #88 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls48 shared years, 1973–2021

    Catherine held the stronger position in 47 of those years, Leanne in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Catherine #2 in 1973, Leanne #26 in 1990.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2021: Catherine #190, Leanne #883.

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

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

    Highest recorded here: Catherine #68 in 1996, Leanne #88 in 1996.

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

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

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls29 shared years, 1957–1986

    Catherine held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Leanne in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Catherine #8 in 1963, Leanne #6 in 1968.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1986: Catherine #47, Leanne #95.

  • New Zealand · Girls23 shared years, 1961–1985

    Catherine held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Leanne in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Catherine #16 in 1963, Leanne #22 in 1965.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1985: Catherine #38, Leanne #95.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls12 shared years, 1997–2010

    Catherine held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Leanne in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Catherine #22 in 1997, Leanne #84 in 1998.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2010: Catherine #108, Leanne #366.

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 Leanne

Pairs where Leanne 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, Leanne
FieldCatherineLeanne
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, 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)70/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Catherine has 4 syllables, compared with 2 for Leanne.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, 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

Leanne

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1957

    First recorded at #96 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1957 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1957–1986

    Highest recorded position: #6 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1968 (recorded 1957–1986).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

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

    England and Wales · Girls