Cathleen vs Lena
Cathleen and Lenacompared 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.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2015, Cathleen was ranked #5730 and Lena #134 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 1990, Cathleen was ranked #446 and Lena #336 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Cathleen and Lena over time
Cathleen and Lena appear together in 2 published lists, across 23 years of shared records. Lena held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Cathleen in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Cathleen reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Lena 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.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls15 shared years, 1965–1990
Cathleen held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Lena in 11.
Highest recorded here: Cathleen #262 in 1965, Lena #245 in 1980.
The order changed in 1974: Lena moved ahead. In 1973 they stood at #402 and #449; by 1974 that had become #490 and #300.
Most recent shared year, 1990: Cathleen #446, Lena #336.
England and Wales · Girls8 shared years, 1996–2015
Cathleen held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Lena in 8.
Highest recorded here: Cathleen #3247 in 2000, Lena #134 in 2015.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2015: Cathleen #5730, Lena #134.
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 Lena
Pairs where Lena shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Anna vs Lena
Anna and Lena were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #23 and #294.
Anna · Lena · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Longest-running competitions
- Anne vs Lena
Anne and Lena were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #159 and #294.
Anne · Lena · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Longest-running competitions
- Astrid vs Lena
Astrid and Lena were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #9 and #294.
Astrid · Lena · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Longest-running competitions
- Elisabeth vs Lena
Elisabeth and Lena were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #171 and #294.
Elisabeth · Lena · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Longest-running competitions
Side by side
| Field | Cathleen | Lena |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | A short form of names ending in '-lena', such as Helena, Magdalena or Yelena — widely used independently. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Used across Swedish, Norwegian, Danish and German traditions |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈleː.na/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, IE | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Girls #5730 (2015) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #266 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 76/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 60/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Lena has a recorded origin (Used across Swedish, Norwegian, Danish and German traditions); Cathleen does not have one recorded yet.
- Cathleen and Lena both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Lena; Cathleen doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE.
How each name got here
Cathleen
Popularity journey
First recorded1965
First recorded at #262 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1965–1990
Highest recorded position: #262 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1965 (recorded 1965–1990).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2015
Most recently recorded at #5730 among girls in England and Wales, in 2015.
England and Wales · Girls
Lena
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #346 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #20 among girls in Norway, in 1969 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #294 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls