Namewise

Catherine vs Rachael

Catherine and Rachaelcompared 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 1994, Catherine was ranked #64 and Rachael #91 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2000, Catherine was ranked #90 and Rachael #94 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2017, Catherine was ranked #164 and Rachael #432 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2022, Catherine was ranked #304 and Rachael #747 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Catherine was ranked #594 and Rachael #3318 among girls in England and Wales.

Catherine and Rachael over time

Catherine and Rachael appear together in 5 published lists, across 155 years of shared records. Catherine held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Rachael in 0.

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

Catherine reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Rachael 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.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Catherine and Rachael changed places 4 times in New South Wales, Australia · Girls between 1970 and 2000, ending at #90 and #94.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 24 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Catherine and Rachael averaged 21.2 places apart, ending at #90 and #94.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Catherine and Rachael were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 57 years, from 1964 to 2022, ending at #304 and #747.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Catherine #68 in 1996, Rachael #77 in 1996.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1996 they stood at #68 and #77 in England and Wales · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2024 they were #594 and #3318.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls57 shared years, 1964–2022

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

    Highest recorded here: Catherine #2 in 1964, Rachael #56 in 1994.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Catherine #304, Rachael #747.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024

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

    Highest recorded here: Catherine #68 in 1996, Rachael #77 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Catherine #594, Rachael #3318.

  • New Zealand · Girls26 shared years, 1969–1994

    Catherine held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Rachael in 4.

    Highest recorded here: Catherine #19 in 1973, Rachael #25 in 1971.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1994: Catherine #64, Rachael #91.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls24 shared years, 1970–2000

    Catherine held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Rachael in 4.

    Highest recorded here: Catherine #18 in 1970, Rachael #41 in 1974.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2000: Catherine #90, Rachael #94.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls19 shared years, 1997–2017

    Catherine held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Rachael in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Catherine #22 in 1997, Rachael #25 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2017: Catherine #164, Rachael #432.

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 Rachael

Pairs where Rachael 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, Rachael
FieldCatherineRachael
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 #3318 (2024)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)70/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Catherine has 4 syllables, compared with 2 for Rachael.
  • 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 #273 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

Rachael

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #245 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1969–1994

    Highest recorded position: #25 among girls in New Zealand, in 1971 (recorded 1969–1994).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #3318 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.

    England and Wales · Girls