Elizabeth vs Kate
Elizabeth 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 2008, Elizabeth was ranked #32 and Kate #84 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2014, Elizabeth was ranked #39 and Kate #81 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Elizabeth was ranked #76 and Kate #52 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Elizabeth was ranked #74 and Kate #1079 among girls in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Elizabeth was ranked #87 and Kate #134 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Elizabeth was ranked #113 and Kate #541 among girls in Scotland.
Norway · Girls
In 2022, Elizabeth was ranked #480 and Kate #490 among girls in Norway.
Elizabeth and Kate over time
Elizabeth and Kate appear together in 6 published lists, across 259 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
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.
Elizabeth reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Kate 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 1991, Kate moved ahead of Elizabeth in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #28 and #40 the year before became #42 and #30.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Elizabeth and Kate changed places 8 times in New South Wales, Australia · Girls between 1973 and 2008, ending at #32 and #84.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 36 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Elizabeth and Kate averaged 14.3 places apart, ending at #32 and #84.
- Longest-running competitions
Elizabeth and Kate were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #74 and #1079.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Elizabeth #26 in 1996, Kate #59 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Girls65 shared years, 1945–2022
Elizabeth held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Kate in 31.
Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #154 in 1968, Kate #104 in 1956.
The order changed in 1999: Elizabeth moved ahead. In 1998 they stood at #498 and #434; by 1999 that had become #368 and #620.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Elizabeth #480, Kate #490.
Republic of Ireland · Girls58 shared years, 1964–2025
Elizabeth held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Kate in 35.
Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #5 in 1969, Kate #10 in 2007.
The order changed in 1991: Kate moved ahead. In 1990 they stood at #28 and #40; by 1991 that had become #42 and #30.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Elizabeth #76, Kate #52.
New Zealand · Girls42 shared years, 1973–2014
Elizabeth held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Kate in 22.
Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #14 in 1984, Kate #14 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2014: Elizabeth #39, Kate #81.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls36 shared years, 1973–2008
Elizabeth held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Kate in 15.
Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #15 in 1986, Kate #11 in 1986.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2008: Elizabeth #32, Kate #84.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Elizabeth held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Kate in 0.
Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #26 in 1996, Kate #59 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Elizabeth #74, Kate #1079.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Elizabeth held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Kate in 17.
Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #55 in 1997, Kate #47 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Elizabeth #87, Kate #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.
Side by side
| Field | Elizabeth | Kate |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | From the Greek Elisabet, from Hebrew Elisheva, combining 'el' (God) with 'shava' ('oath') — 'my God is an oath'. Appears in the Old Testament as Elisheba, Aaron's wife, and in the New Testament as the mother of John the Baptist. | 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 | Biblical Hebrew | Greek, short form of Katherine |
| Pronunciation | /ɪ.ˈlɪz.ə.bəθ/ | /ˈkeɪt/ |
| Syllables | 4 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Girls #74 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #52 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 65/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 70/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Elizabeth is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Kate is recorded with a Greek, short form of Katherine origin.
- Elizabeth has 4 syllables, compared with 2 for Kate.
- Elizabeth's recorded meaning differs from Kate's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Elizabeth
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #341 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: #5 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1969 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #74 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · 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 #1079 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls