Namewise

Jessica vs Katherine

Jessica 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, Jessica was ranked #1 and Katherine #81 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2001, Jessica was ranked #1 and Katherine #76 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Jessica was ranked #48 and Katherine #476 among girls in Scotland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Jessica was ranked #127 and Katherine #288 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Jessica was ranked #139 and Katherine #872 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Jessica was ranked #141 and Katherine #608 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2001, Jessica was ranked #224 and Katherine #334 among girls in Norway.

Jessica and Katherine over time

Jessica and Katherine appear together in 6 published lists, across 187 years of shared records. Jessica held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Katherine in 0.

The order between them changed and held in 3 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 6 of those lists, and Jessica 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 1981, Jessica moved ahead of Katherine in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #33 and #27 the year before became #21 and #33.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 24 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Jessica and Katherine averaged 42.8 places apart, ending at #1 and #81.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 24 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Jessica rose about as far as Katherine fell — from #96 and #38 in 1976 to #1 and #81 in 2000.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Jessica and Katherine were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #139 and #872.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Jessica #1 in 1984, Katherine #24 in 1982.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls60 shared years, 1966–2025

    Jessica held the stronger position in 47 of those years, Katherine in 13.

    Highest recorded here: Jessica #12 in 1995, Katherine #78 in 1966.

    The order changed in 1979: Jessica moved ahead. In 1978 they stood at #130 and #120; by 1979 that had become #88 and #113.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jessica #141, Katherine #608.

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

    Jessica held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Katherine in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Jessica #1 in 2005, Katherine #48 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jessica #139, Katherine #872.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1997–2024

    Jessica held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Katherine in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Jessica #4 in 2008, Katherine #56 in 1998.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Jessica #127, Katherine #288.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls24 shared years, 1976–2000

    Jessica held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Katherine in 5.

    Highest recorded here: Jessica #1 in 1984, Katherine #24 in 1982.

    The order changed in 1981: Jessica moved ahead. In 1980 they stood at #33 and #27; by 1981 that had become #21 and #33.

    Most recent shared year, 2000: Jessica #1, Katherine #81.

  • Norway · Girls24 shared years, 1972–2001

    Jessica held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Katherine in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Jessica #166 in 1990, Katherine #323 in 1983.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2001: Jessica #224, Katherine #334.

  • New Zealand · Girls23 shared years, 1977–2001

    Jessica held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Katherine in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Jessica #1 in 1990, Katherine #32 in 1984.

    The order changed in 1978: Jessica moved ahead. In 1977 they stood at #65 and #40; by 1978 that had become #26 and #36.

    Most recent shared year, 2001: Jessica #1, Katherine #76.

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 Jessica

Pairs where Jessica 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 — peaked in the same years.

All peaked in the same years→

Other pairs from New South Wales, Australia lists

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

New South Wales, Australia overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2000s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2000 and 2009.

The 2000s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Jessica, Katherine
FieldJessicaKatherine
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningCoined by William Shakespeare for his 1596 play The Merchant of Venice, where it belongs to Shylock's daughter — likely based on the biblical name Iscah, also spelled Jescha/Jischa in some translations of Shakespeare's time.Not yet recorded
OriginBiblical Hebrew, via a Shakespearean literary coinageNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈd͡ʒɛs.ɪ.kə/Not yet recorded
Syllables34
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 observationEngland and Wales · Girls #139 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #608 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10070/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Jessica has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew, via a Shakespearean literary coinage); Katherine does not have one recorded yet.
  • Jessica has 3 syllables, compared with 4 for Katherine.
  • A meaning is recorded for Jessica; Katherine doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Jessica

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #471 among girls in Norway in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2005 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #139 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