Namewise

Hayley vs Katherine

Hayley and Katherinecompared 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 South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2000, Hayley was ranked #28 and Katherine #81 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2001, Hayley was ranked #47 and Katherine #76 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Hayley was ranked #148 and Katherine #608 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Hayley was ranked #227 and Katherine #288 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Hayley was ranked #230 and Katherine #476 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Hayley was ranked #478 and Katherine #872 among girls in England and Wales.

Hayley and Katherine over time

Hayley and Katherine appear together in 5 published lists, across 154 years of shared records. Hayley held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Katherine in 2.

The order between them changed and held in 5 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Katherine reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Hayley 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 1990, Hayley moved ahead of Katherine in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #33 and #29 the year before became #22 and #37.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Hayley and Katherine changed places 5 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2024, ending at #227 and #288.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 21 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Hayley and Katherine averaged 23.9 places apart, ending at #28 and #81.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Hayley and Katherine were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #478 and #872.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Hayley #57 in 1996, Katherine #48 in 1996.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1996 they stood at #57 and #48 in England and Wales · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2025 they were #478 and #872.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls51 shared years, 1968–2025

    Hayley held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Katherine in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Hayley #48 in 1997, Katherine #87 in 1985.

    The order changed in 2006: Hayley moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #155 and #155; by 2006 that had become #118 and #197.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Hayley #148, Katherine #608.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Hayley held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Katherine in 25.

    Highest recorded here: Hayley #57 in 1996, Katherine #48 in 1996.

    The order changed in 2022: Hayley moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #521 and #478; by 2022 that had become #550 and #559.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Hayley #478, Katherine #872.

  • New Zealand · Girls27 shared years, 1973–2001

    Hayley held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Katherine in 6.

    Highest recorded here: Hayley #14 in 1990, Katherine #32 in 1984.

    The order changed in 1979: Hayley moved ahead. In 1978 they stood at #52 and #36; by 1979 that had become #26 and #41.

    Most recent shared year, 2001: Hayley #47, Katherine #76.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls25 shared years, 1997–2024

    Hayley held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Katherine in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Hayley #57 in 1997, Katherine #56 in 1998.

    The order changed in 2020: Hayley moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #218 and #195; by 2020 that had become #228 and #333.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Hayley #227, Katherine #288.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls21 shared years, 1979–2000

    Hayley held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Katherine in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Hayley #19 in 1991, Katherine #24 in 1982.

    The order changed in 1990: Hayley moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #33 and #29; by 1990 that had become #22 and #37.

    Most recent shared year, 2000: Hayley #28, Katherine #81.

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 Hayley

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

Other comparisons involving Katherine

Pairs where Katherine 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 — started together, ended far apart.

All started together, ended far apart→

Other pairs from England and Wales lists

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

England and Wales 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 Hayley, Katherine
FieldHayleyKatherine
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
PronunciationNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Syllables24
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #148 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #608 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10070/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Hayley has 2 syllables, compared with 4 for Katherine.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Hayley

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1968

    First recorded at #401 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1968 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1973–2016

    Highest recorded position: #14 among girls in New Zealand, in 1990 (recorded 1973–2016).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #478 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Katherine

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1955

    First recorded at #100 among girls in New Zealand in 1955 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New Zealand · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1956–2000

    Highest recorded position: #24 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1982 (recorded 1956–2000).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #872 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls