Kate vs Laura
Kate and Lauracompared 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 Zealand · Girls
In 2008, Kate was ranked #25 and Laura #71 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Kate was ranked #52 and Laura #112 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2008, Kate was ranked #84 and Laura #74 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Norway · Girls
In 2022, Kate was ranked #490 and Laura #110 among girls in Norway.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Kate was ranked #134 and Laura #253 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Kate was ranked #1302 and Laura #258 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Kate was ranked #541 and Laura #351 among girls in Scotland.
Kate and Laura over time
Kate and Laura appear together in 6 published lists, across 236 years of shared records. Laura held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Kate in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Laura 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 2008, Laura moved ahead of Kate in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #65 and #75 the year before became #84 and #74.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Kate and Laura changed places 4 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1978 and 2008, ending at #25 and #71.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 33 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Kate and Laura averaged 17.5 places apart, ending at #84 and #74.
- Longest-running competitions
Kate and Laura were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 33 years, from 1976 to 2008, ending at #84 and #74.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Kate #59 in 1996, Laura #17 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Girls58 shared years, 1945–2022
Kate held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Laura in 33.
Highest recorded here: Kate #104 in 1956, Laura #110 in 2022.
The order changed in 1978: Laura moved ahead. In 1977 they stood at #245 and #246; by 1978 that had become #286 and #225.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Kate #490, Laura #110.
Republic of Ireland · Girls58 shared years, 1964–2025
Kate held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Laura in 35.
Highest recorded here: Kate #10 in 2007, Laura #2 in 1985.
The order changed in 2003: Kate moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #18 and #16; by 2003 that had become #17 and #21.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Kate #52, Laura #112.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls33 shared years, 1976–2008
Kate held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Laura in 21.
Highest recorded here: Kate #11 in 1986, Laura #9 in 1994.
The order changed in 2008: Laura moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #65 and #75; by 2008 that had become #84 and #74.
Most recent shared year, 2008: Kate #84, Laura #74.
New Zealand · Girls30 shared years, 1978–2008
Kate held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Laura in 14.
Highest recorded here: Kate #14 in 2000, Laura #8 in 1995.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2008: Kate #25, Laura #71.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Kate held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Laura in 29.
Highest recorded here: Kate #59 in 1996, Laura #17 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Kate #1302, Laura #258.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Kate held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Laura in 15.
Highest recorded here: Kate #47 in 2005, Laura #13 in 1997.
The order changed in 2017: Kate moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #92 and #92; by 2017 that had become #122 and #215.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Kate #134, Laura #253.
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 | Kate | Laura |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | 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. | From Latin 'laurus' meaning 'laurel' — laurel wreaths honoured victors in ancient Rome. Also the subject of 14th-century Italian poet Petrarch's poems. |
| Origin | Greek, short form of Katherine | Latin |
| Pronunciation | /ˈkeɪt/ | /ˈlɔɹ.ə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 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, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #52 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #112 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Kate is recorded with a Greek, short form of Katherine origin, while Laura is recorded with a Latin origin.
- Kate and Laura both have 2 syllables.
- Kate's recorded meaning differs from Laura's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
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
Laura
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #313 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: #2 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1985 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #141 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls