Jessica vs Katie
Jessica 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 South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2009, Jessica was ranked #15 and Katie #92 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2014, Jessica was ranked #36 and Katie #94 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Jessica was ranked #141 and Katie #41 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Jessica was ranked #127 and Katie #47 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Jessica was ranked #48 and Katie #131 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Jessica was ranked #139 and Katie #650 among girls in England and Wales.
Jessica and Katie over time
Jessica and Katie appear together in 5 published lists, across 175 years of shared records. Jessica held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Katie in 2.
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.
Katie reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Jessica 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 1979, Jessica moved ahead of Katie in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #72 and #53 the year before became #36 and #42.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Jessica and Katie changed places 7 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2024, ending at #127 and #47.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 31 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Jessica and Katie averaged 49.4 places apart, ending at #15 and #92.
- Longest-running competitions
Jessica and Katie were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #139 and #650.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Jessica #1 in 2005, Katie #9 in 2004.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #3 and #12 in England and Wales · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2025 they were #139 and #650.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls50 shared years, 1973–2025
Jessica held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Katie in 33.
Highest recorded here: Jessica #12 in 1995, Katie #2 in 2004.
The order changed in 1996: Katie moved ahead. In 1995 they stood at #12 and #18; by 1996 that had become #19 and #14.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jessica #141, Katie #41.
New Zealand · Girls36 shared years, 1977–2014
Jessica held the stronger position in 36 of those years, Katie in 0.
Highest recorded here: Jessica #1 in 1990, Katie #33 in 1981.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2014: Jessica #36, Katie #94.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls31 shared years, 1976–2009
Jessica held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Katie in 3.
Highest recorded here: Jessica #1 in 1984, Katie #23 in 1986.
The order changed in 1979: Jessica moved ahead. In 1978 they stood at #72 and #53; by 1979 that had become #36 and #42.
Most recent shared year, 2009: Jessica #15, Katie #92.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Jessica held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Katie in 0.
Highest recorded here: Jessica #1 in 2005, Katie #9 in 2004.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jessica #139, Katie #650.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Jessica held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Katie in 21.
Highest recorded here: Jessica #4 in 2008, Katie #1 in 2004.
The order changed in 2019: Katie moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #16 and #21; by 2019 that had become #28 and #19.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jessica #127, 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 | Jessica | Katie |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Coined 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. | A diminutive of Kate, itself a short form of Katherine. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew, via a Shakespearean literary coinage | Greek, diminutive form |
| Pronunciation | /ˈd͡ʒɛs.ɪ.kə/ | /ˈkeɪ.ti/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | 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 | England and Wales · Girls #139 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #41 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Jessica is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via a Shakespearean literary coinage origin, while Katie is recorded with a Greek, diminutive form origin.
- Jessica has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Katie.
- Jessica'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.
How each name got here
Jessica
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2005 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #139 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · 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 #650 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls