Namewise

Kate vs Linda

Kate and Lindacompared 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 1986, Kate was ranked #11 and Linda #99 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1979, Kate was ranked #25 and Linda #76 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Kate was ranked #52 and Linda #718 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2021, Kate was ranked #108 and Linda #446 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2022, Kate was ranked #490 and Linda #360 among girls in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Kate was ranked #1079 and Linda #1892 among girls in England and Wales.

Kate and Linda over time

Kate and Linda appear together in 4 published lists, across 165 years of shared records. Kate held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Linda in 1.

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.

Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 2 of the lists they share.

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 Republic of Ireland · Girls, Kate moved into the top 50 at #36 in 1989 as Linda fell out of it to #57, having been #34 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1977, Kate moved ahead of Linda in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #57 and #40 the year before became #33 and #42.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Kate and Linda changed places 5 times in Norway · Girls between 1945 and 2022, ending at #490 and #360.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Kate and Linda were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1079 and #1892.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Kate #59 in 1996, Linda #638 in 1997.

List by list

  • Norway · Girls66 shared years, 1945–2022

    Kate held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Linda in 61.

    Highest recorded here: Kate #104 in 1956, Linda #1 in 1975.

    The order changed in 2020: Linda moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #457 and #459; by 2020 that had become #496 and #383.

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Kate #490, Linda #360.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls55 shared years, 1964–2025

    Kate held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Linda in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Kate #10 in 2007, Linda #13 in 1973.

    The order changed in 1989: Kate moved ahead. In 1988 they stood at #45 and #34; by 1989 that had become #36 and #57.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Kate #52, Linda #718.

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

    Kate held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Linda in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Kate #59 in 1996, Linda #638 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Kate #1079, Linda #1892.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls14 shared years, 1973–1986

    Kate held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Linda in 4.

    Highest recorded here: Kate #11 in 1986, Linda #28 in 1973.

    The order changed in 1977: Kate moved ahead. In 1976 they stood at #57 and #40; by 1977 that had become #33 and #42.

    Most recent shared year, 1986: Kate #11, Linda #99.

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 Kate

Pairs where Kate shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Linda

Pairs where Linda 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 — one took the other's place near the top.

All one took the other's place near the top→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Republic of Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Republic of Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Kate, Linda
FieldKateLinda
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningA 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.Not yet recorded
OriginGreek, short form of KatherineNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈkeɪt/Not yet recorded
Syllables22
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, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #52 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #718 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Kate has a recorded origin (Greek, short form of Katherine); Linda does not have one recorded yet.
  • Kate and Linda both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Kate; Linda doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Kate

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #10 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2007 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1079 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Linda

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #329 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1945–2024

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Norway, in 1975 (recorded 1945–2024).

    Norway · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1892 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls