Kate vs Shania
Kate and Shaniacompared 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 2000, Kate was ranked #14 and Shania #40 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1999, Kate was ranked #38 and Shania #80 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2023, Kate was ranked #38 and Shania #856 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2020, Kate was ranked #71 and Shania #397 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Kate was ranked #1302 and Shania #1353 among girls in England and Wales.
Kate and Shania over time
Kate and Shania appear together in 3 published lists, across 75 years of shared records. Kate held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Shania in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Shania reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 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.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Kate held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Shania in 0.
Highest recorded here: Kate #59 in 1996, Shania #107 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Kate #1302, Shania #1353.
Republic of Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1995–2023
Kate held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Shania in 0.
Highest recorded here: Kate #10 in 2007, Shania #143 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Kate #38, Shania #856.
Northern Ireland · Girls20 shared years, 1997–2020
Kate held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Shania in 2.
Highest recorded here: Kate #47 in 2005, Shania #74 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Kate #71, Shania #397.
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 | Shania |
|---|---|---|
| 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, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #52 (2025) | England and Wales · Girls #1353 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| 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); Shania does not have one recorded yet.
- Kate and Shania both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Kate; Shania doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, 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
Shania
Popularity journey
First recorded1995
First recorded at #516 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1995 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1998–2000
Highest recorded position: #16 among girls in New Zealand, in 1999 (recorded 1998–2000).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #1353 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls