Emer vs Kate
Emer 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, Emer was ranked #608 and Kate #52 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Emer was ranked #253 and Kate #134 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2022, Emer was ranked #5669 and Kate #775 among girls in England and Wales.
Emer and Kate over time
Emer and Kate appear together in 3 published lists, across 105 years of shared records. Kate held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Emer in 0.
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.
Emer reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 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 1998, Kate moved ahead of Emer in Northern Ireland · Girls — #97 and #104 the year before became #85 and #69.
- Longest-running competitions
Emer and Kate were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 57 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #608 and #52.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls57 shared years, 1964–2025
Emer held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Kate in 38.
Highest recorded here: Emer #43 in 1983, Kate #10 in 2007.
The order changed in 1987: Kate moved ahead. In 1986 they stood at #54 and #60; by 1987 that had become #67 and #48.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emer #608, Kate #52.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Emer held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Kate in 27.
Highest recorded here: Emer #85 in 1998, Kate #47 in 2005.
The order changed in 1998: Kate moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #97 and #104; by 1998 that had become #85 and #69.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Emer #253, Kate #134.
England and Wales · Girls20 shared years, 1996–2022
Emer held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Kate in 20.
Highest recorded here: Emer #952 in 1999, Kate #59 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Emer #5669, Kate #775.
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 | Emer | Kate |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | 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 | Not yet recorded | Greek, short form of Katherine |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈkeɪt/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #608 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #52 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 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
- Kate has a recorded origin (Greek, short form of Katherine); Emer does not have one recorded yet.
- Emer and Kate both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Kate; Emer doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
Emer
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #108 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #43 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1983 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #608 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · 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