Joanne vs Katherine
Joanne 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 1988, Joanne was ranked #100 and Katherine #27 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1986, Joanne was ranked #87 and Katherine #42 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2021, Joanne was ranked #446 and Katherine #350 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2022, Joanne was ranked #747 and Katherine #747 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Joanne was ranked #1719 and Katherine #872 among girls in England and Wales.
Joanne and Katherine over time
Joanne and Katherine appear together in 5 published lists, across 163 years of shared records. Joanne held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Katherine in 2.
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.
Joanne reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Katherine 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 took the other's place near the top
In New Zealand · Girls, Katherine moved into the top 50 at #32 in 1984 as Joanne fell out of it to #63, having been #48 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1981, Katherine moved ahead of Joanne in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #26 and #27 the year before became #43 and #33.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 33 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Joanne and Katherine averaged 40.0 places apart, ending at #100 and #27.
- Longest-running competitions
Joanne and Katherine were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1719 and #872.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Joanne #168 in 1996, Katherine #48 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls58 shared years, 1964–2022
Joanne held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Katherine in 26.
Highest recorded here: Joanne #29 in 1979, Katherine #71 in 1965.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Joanne #747, Katherine #747.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls33 shared years, 1956–1988
Joanne held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Katherine in 8.
Highest recorded here: Joanne #5 in 1970, Katherine #24 in 1982.
The order changed in 1981: Katherine moved ahead. In 1980 they stood at #26 and #27; by 1981 that had become #43 and #33.
Most recent shared year, 1988: Joanne #100, Katherine #27.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Joanne held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Katherine in 30.
Highest recorded here: Joanne #168 in 1996, Katherine #48 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Joanne #1719, Katherine #872.
New Zealand · Girls28 shared years, 1955–1986
Joanne held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Katherine in 4.
Highest recorded here: Joanne #4 in 1969, Katherine #32 in 1984.
The order changed in 1984: Katherine moved ahead. In 1983 they stood at #48 and #51; by 1984 that had become #63 and #32.
Most recent shared year, 1986: Joanne #87, Katherine #42.
Northern Ireland · Girls14 shared years, 1997–2021
Joanne held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Katherine in 14.
Highest recorded here: Joanne #101 in 1997, Katherine #56 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Joanne #446, Katherine #350.
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 | Joanne | Katherine |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | A variant of Joan/Johanne, ultimately from the same Hebrew-via-Greek-via-Old-French tradition as John (Yochanan, 'Yahweh is gracious') — sometimes also read as a blend of Jo and Anne. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | English and French, from Hebrew via Greek Ioannes | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /d͡ʒoʊ.ˈæn/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 4 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Girls #1719 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #608 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 70/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Joanne has a recorded origin (English and French, from Hebrew via Greek Ioannes); Katherine does not have one recorded yet.
- Joanne has 2 syllables, compared with 4 for Katherine.
- A meaning is recorded for Joanne; Katherine doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Joanne
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #77 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1954–1986
Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in New Zealand, in 1969 (recorded 1954–1986).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #1719 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Katherine
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1956–2000
Highest recorded position: #24 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1982 (recorded 1956–2000).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #872 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls