Namewise

Dianne vs Kathleen

Dianne and Kathleencompared 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 1972, Dianne was ranked #97 and Kathleen #67 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1968, Dianne was ranked #88 and Kathleen #87 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2001, Dianne was ranked #606 and Kathleen #134 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Dianne was ranked #5891 and Kathleen #1036 among girls in England and Wales.

Dianne and Kathleen over time

Dianne and Kathleen appear together in 4 published lists, across 67 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

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.

Kathleen reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Dianne 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 1966, Kathleen moved ahead of Dianne in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #43 and #46 the year before became #46 and #42.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Dianne and Kathleen changed places 5 times in New South Wales, Australia · Girls between 1952 and 1972, ending at #97 and #67.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 21 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Dianne and Kathleen averaged 10.3 places apart, ending at #97 and #67.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Dianne #14 in 1952, Kathleen #29 in 1952.

List by list

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls21 shared years, 19521972

    Dianne held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Kathleen in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Dianne #14 in 1952, Kathleen #29 in 1952.

    The order changed in 1966: Kathleen moved ahead. In 1965 they stood at #43 and #46; by 1966 that had become #46 and #42.

    Most recent shared year, 1972: Dianne #97, Kathleen #67.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls21 shared years, 19672001

    Dianne held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Kathleen in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Dianne #326 in 1970, Kathleen #23 in 1967.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2001: Dianne #606, Kathleen #134.

  • New Zealand · Girls15 shared years, 19541968

    Dianne held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Kathleen in 5.

    Highest recorded here: Dianne #26 in 1956, Kathleen #31 in 1954.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 1968: Dianne #88, Kathleen #87.

  • England and Wales · Girls10 shared years, 20022024

    Dianne held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Kathleen in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Dianne #2970 in 2005, Kathleen #380 in 2002.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Dianne #5891, Kathleen #1036.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Dianne, Kathleen
FieldDianneKathleen
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Pronunciation
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Girls #5891 (2024)Republic of Ireland · Girls #352 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10076/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Dianne and Kathleen both have 2 syllables.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Dianne

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #14 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

  2. Highest recorded1952–1972

    Highest recorded position: #14 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1972).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #5891 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.

    England and Wales · Girls

Kathleen

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #29 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

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #18 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1965 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #997 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls