Ella vs Kate
Ella 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.
Norway · Girls
In 2022, Ella was ranked #4 and Kate #490 among girls in Norway.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2008, Ella was ranked #7 and Kate #84 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2014, Ella was ranked #7 and Kate #81 among girls in New Zealand.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Ella was ranked #9 and Kate #541 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Ella was ranked #12 and Kate #134 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Ella was ranked #17 and Kate #52 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Ella was ranked #39 and Kate #1302 among girls in England and Wales.
Ella and Kate over time
Ella and Kate appear together in 6 published lists, across 194 years of shared records. Ella held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Kate in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Kate reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Ella 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 2000, Ella moved ahead of Kate in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #52 and #38 the year before became #29 and #40.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Ella and Kate changed places 10 times in Norway · Girls between 1945 and 2022, ending at #4 and #490.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 21 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Ella and Kate averaged 34.1 places apart, ending at #7 and #81.
- Mirrored each other
Over 59 shared years in Norway · Girls, Ella rose about as far as Kate fell — from #137 and #233 in 1945 to #4 and #490 in 2022.
- Longest-running competitions
Ella and Kate were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 59 years, from 1945 to 2022, ending at #4 and #490.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Ella #3 in 2007, Kate #10 in 2007.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #56 and #59 in England and Wales · Girls, 3 places apart; by 2024 they were #39 and #1302.
List by list
Norway · Girls59 shared years, 1945–2022
Ella held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Kate in 30.
Highest recorded here: Ella #3 in 2020, Kate #104 in 1956.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Ella #4, Kate #490.
Republic of Ireland · Girls46 shared years, 1970–2025
Ella held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Kate in 25.
Highest recorded here: Ella #3 in 2007, Kate #10 in 2007.
The order changed in 2010: Ella moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #18 and #13; by 2010 that had become #11 and #19.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ella #17, Kate #52.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ella held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Kate in 0.
Highest recorded here: Ella #6 in 2015, Kate #59 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ella #39, Kate #1302.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Ella held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Kate in 4.
Highest recorded here: Ella #2 in 2015, Kate #47 in 2005.
The order changed in 2001: Ella moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #86 and #80; by 2001 that had become #82 and #85.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ella #12, Kate #134.
New Zealand · Girls21 shared years, 1993–2014
Ella held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Kate in 5.
Highest recorded here: Ella #1 in 2007, Kate #14 in 2000.
The order changed in 1999: Ella moved ahead. In 1998 they stood at #19 and #15; by 1999 that had become #12 and #18.
Most recent shared year, 2014: Ella #7, Kate #81.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls11 shared years, 1998–2008
Ella held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Kate in 2.
Highest recorded here: Ella #2 in 2007, Kate #33 in 1998.
The order changed in 2000: Ella moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #52 and #38; by 2000 that had become #29 and #40.
Most recent shared year, 2008: Ella #7, Kate #84.
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 | Ella | Kate |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | A diminutive of Eleanor, Ellen and other names beginning with 'El-', also used as a short form of names ending in '-ella'. Widely used across Scandinavian and Germanic languages as well as English. | 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 | Germanic, diminutive form | Greek, short form of Katherine |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛl.ə/ | /ˈkeɪt/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 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 | Norway · Girls #4 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #52 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Ella is recorded with a Germanic, diminutive form origin, while Kate is recorded with a Greek, short form of Katherine origin.
- Ella and Kate both have 2 syllables.
- Ella'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
Ella
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #137 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1993–2023
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New Zealand, in 2007 (recorded 1993–2023).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #11 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · 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