Claire vs Katie
Claire and Katiecompared 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 1993, Claire was ranked #85 and Katie #41 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Claire was ranked #352 and Katie #41 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Claire was ranked #407 and Katie #47 among girls in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2009, Claire was ranked #50 and Katie #92 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Claire was ranked #638 and Katie #131 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Claire was ranked #1021 and Katie #547 among girls in England and Wales.
Claire and Katie over time
Claire and Katie appear together in 5 published lists, across 151 years of shared records. Katie held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Claire in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Claire reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Katie 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1996, Claire moved ahead of Katie in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #71 and #67 the year before became #67 and #77.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 31 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Claire and Katie averaged 22.1 places apart, ending at #50 and #92.
- Longest-running competitions
Claire and Katie were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 31 years, from 1976 to 2009, ending at #50 and #92.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Girls within 2 years — Claire #23 in 1980, Katie #33 in 1981.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1997 they stood at #28 and #20 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 8 places apart; by 2024 they were #407 and #47.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls50 shared years, 1973–2025
Claire held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Katie in 33.
Highest recorded here: Claire #10 in 1984, Katie #2 in 2004.
The order changed in 1993: Katie moved ahead. In 1992 they stood at #17 and #21; by 1993 that had become #22 and #15.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Claire #352, Katie #41.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls31 shared years, 1976–2009
Claire held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Katie in 18.
Highest recorded here: Claire #40 in 1990, Katie #23 in 1986.
The order changed in 1996: Claire moved ahead. In 1995 they stood at #71 and #67; by 1996 that had become #67 and #77.
Most recent shared year, 2009: Claire #50, Katie #92.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Claire held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Katie in 29.
Highest recorded here: Claire #90 in 1996, Katie #9 in 2004.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Claire #1021, Katie #547.
Northern Ireland · Girls23 shared years, 1997–2024
Claire held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Katie in 23.
Highest recorded here: Claire #26 in 1998, Katie #1 in 2004.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Claire #407, Katie #47.
New Zealand · Girls18 shared years, 1976–1993
Claire held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Katie in 7.
Highest recorded here: Claire #23 in 1980, Katie #33 in 1981.
The order changed in 1988: Katie moved ahead. In 1987 they stood at #33 and #42; by 1988 that had become #50 and #34.
Most recent shared year, 1993: Claire #85, Katie #41.
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 | Claire | Katie |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | The French form of Clara, from Latin 'clarus' meaning 'clear, bright'. | A diminutive of Kate, itself a short form of Katherine. |
| Origin | Latin, via French transmission | Greek, diminutive form |
| Pronunciation | /klɛʁ/ | /ˈkeɪ.ti/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Clara | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #352 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #41 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Claire is recorded with a Latin, via French transmission origin, while Katie is recorded with a Greek, diminutive form origin.
- Claire and Katie both have 2 syllables.
- Claire's recorded meaning differs from Katie's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Claire a "high" Data Confidence level and Katie a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Claire
Popularity journey
First recorded1954
First recorded at #98 among girls in New Zealand in 1954 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #10 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1984 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #352 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Katie
Popularity journey
First recorded1973
First recorded at #508 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1973 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2004 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #41 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls