Namewise

Kate vs Lisa

Kate and Lisacompared 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 1997, Kate was ranked #15 and Lisa #85 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1997, Kate was ranked #33 and Lisa #100 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Kate was ranked #52 and Lisa #443 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2019, Kate was ranked #81 and Lisa #336 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2022, Kate was ranked #490 and Lisa #214 among girls in Norway.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Kate was ranked #541 and Lisa #790 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Kate was ranked #1079 and Lisa #661 among girls in England and Wales.

Kate and Lisa over time

Kate and Lisa appear together in 6 published lists, across 220 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

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.

Lisa reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Kate 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 moved ahead of the other

    In 1986, Kate moved ahead of Lisa in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #12 and #10 the year before became #11 and #16.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 25 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Kate and Lisa averaged 26.6 places apart, ending at #33 and #100.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 58 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Kate rose about as far as Lisa fell — from #300 and #222 in 1964 to #52 and #443 in 2025.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Kate and Lisa were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1079 and #661.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Kate #59 in 1996, Lisa #105 in 1996.

List by list

  • Norway · Girls65 shared years, 1945–2022

    Kate held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Lisa in 41.

    Highest recorded here: Kate #106 in 1957, Lisa #37 in 1994.

    The order changed in 1971: Lisa moved ahead. In 1970 they stood at #133 and #180; by 1971 that had become #232 and #160.

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Kate #490, Lisa #214.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls58 shared years, 1964–2025

    Kate held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Lisa in 28.

    Highest recorded here: Kate #10 in 2007, Lisa #3 in 1984.

    The order changed in 1996: Kate moved ahead. In 1995 they stood at #28 and #21; by 1996 that had become #25 and #30.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Kate #52, Lisa #443.

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

    Kate held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Lisa in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Kate #59 in 1996, Lisa #105 in 1996.

    The order changed in 2023: Lisa moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #775 and #910; by 2023 that had become #1108 and #734.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Kate #1079, Lisa #661.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls25 shared years, 1973–1997

    Kate held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Lisa in 13.

    Highest recorded here: Kate #11 in 1986, Lisa #5 in 1973.

    The order changed in 1986: Kate moved ahead. In 1985 they stood at #12 and #10; by 1986 that had become #11 and #16.

    Most recent shared year, 1997: Kate #33, Lisa #100.

  • New Zealand · Girls25 shared years, 1973–1997

    Kate held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Lisa in 17.

    Highest recorded here: Kate #15 in 1992, Lisa #2 in 1973.

    The order changed in 1990: Kate moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #21 and #19; by 1990 that had become #18 and #25.

    Most recent shared year, 1997: Kate #15, Lisa #85.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls17 shared years, 1997–2019

    Kate held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Lisa in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Kate #47 in 2005, Lisa #63 in 1997.

    The order changed in 2000: Kate moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #104 and #104; by 2000 that had become #80 and #86.

    Most recent shared year, 2019: Kate #81, Lisa #336.

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 Lisa

Pairs where Lisa 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 — mirrored each other.

All mirrored each other→

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, Lisa
FieldKateLisa
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
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.A short form of Elizabeth, often used independently — notably the name of the subject of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa.
OriginGreek, short form of KatherineHebrew, short form of Elizabeth
Pronunciation/ˈkeɪt//ˈliː.sə/
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, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #52 (2025)Norway · Girls #174 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Kate is recorded with a Greek, short form of Katherine origin, while Lisa is recorded with a Hebrew, short form of Elizabeth origin.
  • Kate and Lisa both have 2 syllables.
  • Kate's recorded meaning differs from Lisa'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

  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

Lisa

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #330 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 recorded1962–1997

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New Zealand, in 1968 (recorded 1962–1997).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #661 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls