Clare vs Kate
Clare and Katecompared 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 South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1989, Clare was ranked #87 and Kate #18 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1978, Clare was ranked #90 and Kate #38 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Clare was ranked #718 and Kate #52 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2016, Clare was ranked #440 and Kate #92 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Clare was ranked #4192 and Kate #1302 among girls in England and Wales.
Clare and Kate over time
Clare and Kate appear together in 4 published lists, across 110 years of shared records. Kate held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Clare in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Clare reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Kate 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2002, Kate moved ahead of Clare in Northern Ireland · Girls — #78 and #85 the year before became #118 and #58.
- Longest-running competitions
Clare and Kate were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 54 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #718 and #52.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Clare #200 in 1996, Kate #59 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls54 shared years, 1964–2025
Clare held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Kate in 35.
Highest recorded here: Clare #45 in 1985, Kate #10 in 2007.
The order changed in 1987: Kate moved ahead. In 1986 they stood at #51 and #60; by 1987 that had become #59 and #48.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Clare #718, Kate #52.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Clare held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Kate in 29.
Highest recorded here: Clare #200 in 1996, Kate #59 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Clare #4192, Kate #1302.
Northern Ireland · Girls19 shared years, 1997–2016
Clare held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Kate in 15.
Highest recorded here: Clare #66 in 1997, Kate #47 in 2005.
The order changed in 2002: Kate moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #78 and #85; by 2002 that had become #118 and #58.
Most recent shared year, 2016: Clare #440, Kate #92.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls8 shared years, 1979–1989
Clare held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Kate in 8.
Highest recorded here: Clare #77 in 1983, Kate #11 in 1986.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1989: Clare #87, Kate #18.
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 | Clare | Kate |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | A short form of Katherine, used independently since the Middle Ages — appears in Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew (1593) as a short form of Katherina. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Greek, short form of Katherine |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈkeɪt/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #718 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #52 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Kate has a recorded origin (Greek, short form of Katherine); Clare does not have one recorded yet.
- Clare and Kate both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Kate; Clare doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Clare
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #55 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
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #45 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1985 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #718 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Kate
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #233 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #10 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2007 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #52 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls