Emily vs Katie
Emily 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, Emily was ranked #4 and Katie #94 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Emily was ranked #5 and Katie #47 among girls in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2009, Emily was ranked #6 and Katie #92 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Emily was ranked #6 and Katie #41 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Emily was ranked #7 and Katie #131 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Emily was ranked #34 and Katie #547 among girls in England and Wales.
Emily and Katie over time
Emily and Katie appear together in 5 published lists, across 174 years of shared records. Emily held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Katie 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.
Katie reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Emily 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 1987, Emily moved ahead of Katie in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #24 and #23 the year before became #25 and #28.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Emily and Katie changed places 4 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1976 and 2014, ending at #4 and #94.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 30 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Emily and Katie averaged 46.8 places apart, ending at #6 and #92.
- Mirrored each other
Over 30 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Emily rose about as far as Katie fell — from #81 and #59 in 1977 to #6 and #92 in 2009.
- Longest-running competitions
Emily and Katie were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 30 years, from 1977 to 2009, ending at #6 and #92.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Emily #1 in 2003, Katie #9 in 2004.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #4 and #12 in England and Wales · Girls, 8 places apart; by 2024 they were #34 and #547.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls50 shared years, 1973–2025
Emily held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Katie in 23.
Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2011, Katie #2 in 2004.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emily #6, Katie #41.
New Zealand · Girls37 shared years, 1976–2014
Emily held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Katie in 10.
Highest recorded here: Emily #4 in 2003, Katie #33 in 1981.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2014: Emily #4, Katie #94.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls30 shared years, 1977–2009
Emily held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Katie in 10.
Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 1998, Katie #23 in 1986.
The order changed in 1987: Emily moved ahead. In 1986 they stood at #24 and #23; by 1987 that had become #25 and #28.
Most recent shared year, 2009: Emily #6, Katie #92.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Emily held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Katie in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2003, Katie #9 in 2004.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Emily #34, Katie #547.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Emily held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Katie in 14.
Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2013, Katie #1 in 2004.
The order changed in 2011: Emily moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #4 and #2; by 2011 that had become #3 and #12.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Emily #5, Katie #47.
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 | Emily | Katie |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Rival, striving, eager (traditional interpretation of the Latin root). | A diminutive of Kate, itself a short form of Katherine. |
| Origin | Latin, from the Roman family name Aemilia | Greek, diminutive form |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛməli/ | /ˈkeɪ.ti/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Em, Emmy, Emilie, Amelia, Aemilia | 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 | Republic of Ireland · Girls #6 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #41 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Emily is recorded with a Latin, from the Roman family name Aemilia origin, while Katie is recorded with a Greek, diminutive form origin.
- Emily has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Katie.
- Emily'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.
- The available evidence gives Emily a "high" Data Confidence level and Katie a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Emily
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #180 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 recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2003 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #61 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