Debra vs Kathryn
Debra and Kathryncompared 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 1973, Debra was ranked #97 and Kathryn #46 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1973, Debra was ranked #99 and Kathryn #47 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2004, Debra was ranked #677 and Kathryn #304 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Debra was ranked #4867 and Kathryn #2788 among girls in England and Wales.
Debra and Kathryn over time
Debra and Kathryn appear together in 4 published lists, across 88 years of shared records. Kathryn held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Debra in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Debra reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Kathryn 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.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 20 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Debra and Kathryn averaged 23.1 places apart, ending at #99 and #47.
- Longest-running competitions
Debra and Kathryn were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 33 years, from 1964 to 2004, ending at #677 and #304.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Debra #1364 in 1996, Kathryn #83 in 1997.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls33 shared years, 1964–2004
Debra held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Kathryn in 33.
Highest recorded here: Debra #230 in 1970, Kathryn #141 in 1992.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2004: Debra #677, Kathryn #304.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls20 shared years, 1953–1973
Debra held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Kathryn in 11.
Highest recorded here: Debra #6 in 1958, Kathryn #30 in 1965.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1973: Debra #99, Kathryn #47.
New Zealand · Girls19 shared years, 1955–1973
Debra held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Kathryn in 12.
Highest recorded here: Debra #17 in 1959, Kathryn #35 in 1967.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1973: Debra #97, Kathryn #46.
England and Wales · Girls16 shared years, 1996–2025
Debra held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Kathryn in 16.
Highest recorded here: Debra #1364 in 1996, Kathryn #83 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Debra #4867, Kathryn #2788.
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 Debra
Pairs where Debra shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Jennifer vs Debra
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Jennifer #1 in 1956, Debra #6 in 1958.
Jennifer · Debra · 20 shared years, 1953–1973 · Peaked in the same years
- Karen vs Debra
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Girls within 2 years — Karen #1 in 1957, Debra #17 in 1959.
Karen · Debra · 19 shared years, 1955–1973 · Peaked in the same years
- Donna vs Debra
In 1961, Donna moved ahead of Debra in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #12 and #7 the year before became #6 and #18.
Donna · Debra · 20 shared years, 1953–1973 · One moved ahead of the other
- Debra vs Vicki
Across 20 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Debra and Vicki averaged 11.8 places apart, ending at #99 and #74.
Debra · Vicki · 20 shared years, 1953–1973 · Closest over the longest run
Side by side
| Field | Debra | Kathryn |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Not yet recorded | |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Girls #4867 (2025) | England and Wales · Girls #2788 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Debra and Kathryn both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Debra
Popularity journey
First recorded1953
First recorded at #75 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1953 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1953–1973
Highest recorded position: #6 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1958 (recorded 1953–1973).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #4867 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Kathryn
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #55 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1952–1993
Highest recorded position: #30 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1965 (recorded 1952–1993).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #2788 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls