Ella vs Katie
Ella and Katiecompared 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 2014, Ella was ranked #7 and Katie #94 among girls in New Zealand.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Ella was ranked #9 and Katie #131 among girls in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2009, Ella was ranked #11 and Katie #92 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Ella was ranked #12 and Katie #47 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Ella was ranked #17 and Katie #41 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Ella was ranked #39 and Katie #547 among girls in England and Wales.
Ella and Katie over time
Ella and Katie appear together in 5 published lists, across 130 years of shared records. Ella held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Katie 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.
Katie reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Ella 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 took the other's place near the top
In New Zealand · Girls, Ella moved into the top 50 at #36 in 1997 as Katie fell out of it to #59, having been #48 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2005, Ella moved ahead of Katie in England and Wales · Girls — #14 and #9 the year before became #10 and #11.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Girls, Ella and Katie averaged 36.9 places apart, ending at #12 and #47.
- Mirrored each other
Over 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Girls, Ella rose about as far as Katie fell — from #204 and #20 in 1997 to #12 and #47 in 2024.
- Longest-running competitions
Ella and Katie were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 45 years, from 1980 to 2025, ending at #17 and #41.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Girls within 2 years — Ella #1 in 2007, Katie #33 in 2008.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls45 shared years, 1980–2025
Ella held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Katie in 30.
Highest recorded here: Ella #3 in 2007, Katie #2 in 2004.
The order changed in 2012: Ella moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #11 and #10; by 2012 that had become #7 and #14.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ella #17, Katie #41.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ella held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Katie in 9.
Highest recorded here: Ella #6 in 2015, Katie #9 in 2004.
The order changed in 2005: Ella moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #14 and #9; by 2005 that had become #10 and #11.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ella #39, Katie #547.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Ella held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Katie in 15.
Highest recorded here: Ella #2 in 2015, Katie #1 in 2004.
The order changed in 2013: Ella moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #12 and #8; by 2013 that had become #4 and #12.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ella #12, Katie #47.
New Zealand · Girls19 shared years, 1993–2014
Ella held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Katie in 3.
Highest recorded here: Ella #1 in 2007, Katie #33 in 2008.
The order changed in 1997: Ella moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #50 and #48; by 1997 that had become #36 and #59.
Most recent shared year, 2014: Ella #7, Katie #94.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls9 shared years, 1998–2009
Ella held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Katie in 0.
Highest recorded here: Ella #2 in 2007, Katie #81 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2009: Ella #11, Katie #92.
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 | Katie |
|---|---|---|
| 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 diminutive of Kate, itself a short form of Katherine. |
| Origin | Germanic, diminutive form | Greek, diminutive form |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛl.ə/ | /ˈkeɪ.ti/ |
| 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, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #4 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #41 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| 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 Katie is recorded with a Greek, diminutive form origin.
- Ella and Katie both have 2 syllables.
- Ella's recorded meaning differs from Katie's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, 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
Katie
Popularity journey
First recorded1973
First recorded at #508 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1973 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2004 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #41 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls