Kate vs Sally
Kate and Sallycompared 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 1993, Kate was ranked #24 and Sally #99 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1979, Kate was ranked #25 and Sally #99 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Kate was ranked #52 and Sally #239 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Kate was ranked #134 and Sally #337 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Kate was ranked #1302 and Sally #1743 among girls in England and Wales.
Kate and Sally over time
Kate and Sally appear together in 4 published lists, across 118 years of shared records. Kate held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Sally in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Sally reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Kate 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 moved ahead of the other
In 1977, Kate moved ahead of Sally in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #57 and #37 the year before became #33 and #36.
- Longest-running competitions
Kate and Sally were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 58 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #52 and #239.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Kate #59 in 1996, Sally #144 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls58 shared years, 1964–2025
Kate held the stronger position in 49 of those years, Sally in 8.
Highest recorded here: Kate #10 in 2007, Sally #153 in 1997.
The order changed in 1977: Kate moved ahead. In 1976 they stood at #271 and #199; by 1977 that had become #225 and #262.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Kate #52, Sally #239.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Kate held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Sally in 0.
Highest recorded here: Kate #59 in 1996, Sally #144 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Kate #1302, Sally #1743.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls19 shared years, 1973–1993
Kate held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Sally in 4.
Highest recorded here: Kate #11 in 1986, Sally #36 in 1977.
The order changed in 1977: Kate moved ahead. In 1976 they stood at #57 and #37; by 1977 that had become #33 and #36.
Most recent shared year, 1993: Kate #24, Sally #99.
Northern Ireland · Girls12 shared years, 1999–2024
Kate held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Sally in 0.
Highest recorded here: Kate #47 in 2005, Sally #230 in 2001.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Kate #134, Sally #337.
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 | Sally |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| 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. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Greek, short form of Katherine | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈkeɪt/ | Not yet recorded |
| 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, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #52 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #239 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| 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 has a recorded origin (Greek, short form of Katherine); Sally does not have one recorded yet.
- Kate and Sally both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Kate; Sally 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
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
Sally
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #93 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1952–1993
Highest recorded position: #36 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1977 (recorded 1952–1993).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #239 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls