Kate vs Maria
Kate and Mariacompared 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 1985, Kate was ranked #12 and Maria #95 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Kate was ranked #52 and Maria #74 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2022, Kate was ranked #490 and Maria #59 among girls in Norway.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2014, Kate was ranked #81 and Maria #97 among girls in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Kate was ranked #1302 and Maria #91 among girls in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Kate was ranked #134 and Maria #97 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Kate was ranked #541 and Maria #120 among girls in Scotland.
Kate and Maria over time
Kate and Maria appear together in 6 published lists, across 229 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
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.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 3 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 moved ahead of the other
In 2006, Maria moved ahead of Kate in England and Wales · Girls — #114 and #115 the year before became #111 and #104.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Kate and Maria changed places 10 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2024, ending at #134 and #97.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 36 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Kate and Maria averaged 46.1 places apart, ending at #81 and #97.
- Mirrored each other
Over 58 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Kate rose about as far as Maria fell — from #300 and #33 in 1964 to #52 and #74 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Kate and Maria were both ranked in New Zealand · Girls for 36 years, from 1973 to 2014, ending at #81 and #97.
List by list
Norway · Girls66 shared years, 1945–2022
Kate held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Maria in 66.
Highest recorded here: Kate #104 in 1956, Maria #3 in 1982.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Kate #490, Maria #59.
Republic of Ireland · Girls58 shared years, 1964–2025
Kate held the stronger position in 36 of those years, Maria in 22.
Highest recorded here: Kate #10 in 2007, Maria #25 in 1971.
The order changed in 1991: Kate moved ahead. In 1990 they stood at #40 and #37; by 1991 that had become #30 and #37.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Kate #52, Maria #74.
New Zealand · Girls36 shared years, 1973–2014
Kate held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Maria in 4.
Highest recorded here: Kate #14 in 2000, Maria #36 in 1977.
The order changed in 1978: Kate moved ahead. In 1977 they stood at #66 and #36; by 1978 that had become #38 and #45.
Most recent shared year, 2014: Kate #81, Maria #97.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Kate held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Maria in 19.
Highest recorded here: Kate #59 in 1996, Maria #66 in 2018.
The order changed in 2006: Maria moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #114 and #115; by 2006 that had become #111 and #104.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Kate #1302, Maria #91.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Kate held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Maria in 18.
Highest recorded here: Kate #47 in 2005, Maria #49 in 2009.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Kate #134, Maria #97.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls12 shared years, 1973–1985
Kate held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Maria in 4.
Highest recorded here: Kate #12 in 1985, Maria #34 in 1974.
The order changed in 1977: Kate moved ahead. In 1976 they stood at #57 and #46; by 1977 that had become #33 and #46.
Most recent shared year, 1985: Kate #12, Maria #95.
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 | Maria |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | The Latin form of Greek Maria, from Hebrew Miryam (see Mary). |
| Origin | Greek, short form of Katherine | Biblical Hebrew, via Latin transmission |
| Pronunciation | /ˈkeɪt/ | /mɑ.ˈriː.ɑ/ |
| 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) | Norway · Girls #62 (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 Maria is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Latin transmission origin.
- Kate and Maria both have 2 syllables.
- Kate's recorded meaning differs from Maria'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
Maria
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #126 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in Norway, in 1982 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #62 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls