Kate vs Lily
Kate and Lilycompared 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.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Kate was ranked #52 and Lily #1 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Kate was ranked #1302 and Lily #3 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Kate was ranked #541 and Lily #4 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Kate was ranked #134 and Lily #6 among girls in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2008, Kate was ranked #84 and Lily #13 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2014, Kate was ranked #81 and Lily #17 among girls in New Zealand.
Norway · Girls
In 2022, Kate was ranked #490 and Lily #142 among girls in Norway.
Kate and Lily over time
Kate and Lily appear together in 6 published lists, across 134 years of shared records. Lily held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Kate in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 6 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Kate reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 6 of those lists, and Lily 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 took the other's place near the top
In Northern Ireland · Girls, Lily moved into the top 50 at #34 in 2007 as Kate fell out of it to #57, having been #49 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1998, Lily moved ahead of Kate in England and Wales · Girls — #64 and #75 the year before became #63 and #61.
- Longest-running competitions
Kate and Lily were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 36 years, from 1981 to 2025, ending at #52 and #1.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls36 shared years, 1981–2025
Kate held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Lily in 15.
Highest recorded here: Kate #10 in 2007, Lily #1 in 2025.
The order changed in 2014: Lily moved ahead. In 2013 they stood at #15 and #17; by 2014 that had become #18 and #11.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Kate #52, Lily #1.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Kate held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Lily in 27.
Highest recorded here: Kate #59 in 1996, Lily #3 in 2011.
The order changed in 1998: Lily moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #64 and #75; by 1998 that had become #63 and #61.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Kate #1302, Lily #3.
Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1999–2024
Kate held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Lily in 19.
Highest recorded here: Kate #47 in 2005, Lily #5 in 2011.
The order changed in 2007: Lily moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #49 and #52; by 2007 that had become #57 and #34.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Kate #134, Lily #6.
New Zealand · Girls18 shared years, 1997–2014
Kate held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Lily in 12.
Highest recorded here: Kate #14 in 2000, Lily #6 in 2008.
The order changed in 2004: Lily moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #19 and #20; by 2004 that had become #26 and #16.
Most recent shared year, 2014: Kate #81, Lily #17.
Norway · Girls13 shared years, 1994–2022
Kate held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Lily in 10.
Highest recorded here: Kate #437 in 1997, Lily #120 in 2012.
The order changed in 2008: Lily moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #503 and #555; by 2008 that had become #563 and #262.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Kate #490, Lily #142.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls12 shared years, 1997–2008
Kate held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Lily in 9.
Highest recorded here: Kate #33 in 1997, Lily #11 in 2006.
The order changed in 2000: Lily moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #38 and #42; by 2000 that had become #40 and #36.
Most recent shared year, 2008: Kate #84, Lily #13.
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 | Lily |
|---|---|---|
| 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 the English word for the lily flower. |
| Origin | Greek, short form of Katherine | English (flower name) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈkeɪt/ | /ˈlɪli/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Lil, Lilah, Lillie, Lilly, Lilian |
| 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 #1 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Kate is recorded with a Greek, short form of Katherine origin, while Lily is recorded with a English (flower name) origin.
- Kate and Lily both have 2 syllables.
- Kate's recorded meaning differs from Lily's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Kate a "medium" Data Confidence level and Lily a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
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
Lily
Popularity journey
First recorded1981
First recorded at #471 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1981 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1981–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025 (recorded 1981–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #9 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls