Namewise

Ellie vs Kate

Ellie 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.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Ellie was ranked #15 and Kate #52 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Ellie was ranked #18 and Kate #134 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2022, Ellie was ranked #32 and Kate #490 among girls in Norway.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Ellie was ranked #35 and Kate #541 among girls in Scotland.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2014, Ellie was ranked #58 and Kate #81 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2008, Ellie was ranked #89 and Kate #84 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Ellie was ranked #88 and Kate #1302 among girls in England and Wales.

Ellie and Kate over time

Ellie and Kate appear together in 5 published lists, across 107 years of shared records. Ellie held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Kate in 2.

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.

Kate reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Ellie 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 1999, Ellie moved ahead of Kate in Northern Ireland · Girls — #145 and #69 the year before became #86 and #104.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Ellie and Kate were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 34 years, from 1987 to 2025, ending at #15 and #52.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Ellie #3 in 2005, Kate #47 in 2005.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls34 shared years, 1987–2025

    Ellie held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Kate in 26.

    Highest recorded here: Ellie #6 in 2023, Kate #10 in 2007.

    The order changed in 2018: Ellie moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #20 and #16; by 2018 that had become #7 and #17.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Ellie #15, Kate #52.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024

    Ellie held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Kate in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Ellie #2 in 2003, Kate #59 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Ellie #88, Kate #1302.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Ellie held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Kate in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Ellie #3 in 2005, Kate #47 in 2005.

    The order changed in 1999: Ellie moved ahead. In 1998 they stood at #145 and #69; by 1999 that had become #86 and #104.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Ellie #18, Kate #134.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls8 shared years, 1992–2008

    Ellie held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Kate in 6.

    Highest recorded here: Ellie #55 in 2006, Kate #15 in 1992.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2008: Ellie #89, Kate #84.

  • Norway · Girls8 shared years, 2005–2022

    Ellie held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Kate in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Ellie #32 in 2022, Kate #457 in 2016.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Ellie #32, Kate #490.

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 Ellie

Pairs where Ellie shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Kate

Pairs where Kate shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Republic of Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Republic of Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Ellie, Kate
FieldEllieKate
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningA diminutive of several longer names, particularly Eleanor, Ellen and Elizabeth.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.
OriginVarious, diminutive formGreek, short form of Katherine
Pronunciation/ˈɛl.i//ˈkeɪt/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #15 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #52 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Ellie is recorded with a Various, diminutive form origin, while Kate is recorded with a Greek, short form of Katherine origin.
  • Ellie and Kate both have 2 syllables.
  • Ellie'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

Ellie

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1987

    First recorded at #488 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1987 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1996–2024

    Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in England and Wales, in 2003 (recorded 1996–2024).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #32 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

Kate

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #10 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2007 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #52 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls