Erin vs Kate
Erin 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.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Erin was ranked #25 and Kate #134 among girls in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2004, Erin was ranked #96 and Kate #26 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Erin was ranked #71 and Kate #52 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Erin was ranked #65 and Kate #1302 among girls in England and Wales.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2007, Erin was ranked #78 and Kate #65 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Erin was ranked #72 and Kate #541 among girls in Scotland.
Erin and Kate over time
Erin and Kate appear together in 5 published lists, across 159 years of shared records. Kate held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Erin in 2.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Erin reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Kate in 2. 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, Erin moved ahead of Kate in England and Wales · Girls — #79 and #63 the year before became #68 and #71.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Erin and Kate changed places 4 times in New South Wales, Australia · Girls between 1977 and 2007, ending at #78 and #65.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 31 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Erin and Kate averaged 15.6 places apart, ending at #78 and #65.
- Longest-running competitions
Erin and Kate were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 31 years, from 1977 to 2007, ending at #78 and #65.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Erin #11 in 1984, Kate #11 in 1986.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls50 shared years, 1975–2025
Erin held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Kate in 48.
Highest recorded here: Erin #34 in 2006, Kate #10 in 2007.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Erin #71, Kate #52.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls31 shared years, 1977–2007
Erin held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Kate in 27.
Highest recorded here: Erin #11 in 1984, Kate #11 in 1986.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2007: Erin #78, Kate #65.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Erin held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Kate in 3.
Highest recorded here: Erin #27 in 2007, Kate #59 in 1996.
The order changed in 1999: Erin moved ahead. In 1998 they stood at #79 and #63; by 1999 that had become #68 and #71.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Erin #65, Kate #1302.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Erin held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Kate in 0.
Highest recorded here: Erin #5 in 2009, Kate #47 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Erin #25, Kate #134.
New Zealand · Girls21 shared years, 1975–2004
Erin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Kate in 21.
Highest recorded here: Erin #36 in 1984, Kate #15 in 1992.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2004: Erin #96, Kate #26.
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 | Erin | Kate |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | An Anglicized form of Éireann, the Irish name for Ireland itself. | 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 | Irish | Greek, short form of Katherine |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛɹ.ɪn/ | /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, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #71 (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
- Erin is recorded with a Irish origin, while Kate is recorded with a Greek, short form of Katherine origin.
- Erin and Kate both have 2 syllables.
- Erin'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, NZ.
How each name got here
Erin
Popularity journey
First recorded1975
First recorded at #89 among girls in New Zealand in 1975 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Girls
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2009 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #71 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