Catherine vs Tracey
Catherine and Traceycompared 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.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 1998, Catherine was ranked #28 and Tracey #351 among girls in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1983, Catherine was ranked #39 and Tracey #85 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1991, Catherine was ranked #60 and Tracey #98 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2009, Catherine was ranked #126 and Tracey #893 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2023, Catherine was ranked #506 and Tracey #5687 among girls in England and Wales.
Catherine and Tracey over time
Catherine and Tracey appear together in 4 published lists, across 123 years of shared records. Catherine held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Tracey in 1.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Catherine reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Tracey 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 Tracey changed places 8 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1960 and 1991, ending at #60 and #98.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 26 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Catherine and Tracey averaged 13.3 places apart, ending at #39 and #85.
- Longest-running competitions
Catherine and Tracey were both ranked in New Zealand · Girls for 32 years, from 1960 to 1991, ending at #60 and #98.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Catherine #68 in 1996, Tracey #783 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls43 shared years, 1964–2009
Catherine held the stronger position in 43 of those years, Tracey in 0.
Highest recorded here: Catherine #2 in 1964, Tracey #61 in 1980.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2009: Catherine #126, Tracey #893.
New Zealand · Girls32 shared years, 1960–1991
Catherine held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Tracey in 19.
Highest recorded here: Catherine #16 in 1963, Tracey #7 in 1970.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1991: Catherine #60, Tracey #98.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls26 shared years, 1958–1983
Catherine held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Tracey in 6.
Highest recorded here: Catherine #8 in 1963, Tracey #11 in 1970.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1983: Catherine #39, Tracey #85.
England and Wales · Girls22 shared years, 1996–2023
Catherine held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Tracey in 0.
Highest recorded here: Catherine #68 in 1996, Tracey #783 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Catherine #506, Tracey #5687.
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 | Tracey |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | ||
| Syllables | 4 | 2 |
| 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, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #273 (2025) | England and Wales · Girls #5687 (2023) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 70/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Catherine has 4 syllables, compared with 2 for Tracey.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, 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
Tracey
Popularity journey
First recorded1958
First recorded at #52 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1958 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1960–1991
Highest recorded position: #7 among girls in New Zealand, in 1970 (recorded 1960–1991).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2023
Most recently recorded at #5687 among girls in England and Wales, in 2023.
England and Wales · Girls