Kate vs Sharon
Kate and Sharoncompared 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 1982, Kate was ranked #15 and Sharon #88 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2020, Kate was ranked #23 and Sharon #834 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1981, Kate was ranked #24 and Sharon #78 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2010, Kate was ranked #90 and Sharon #366 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2001, Kate was ranked #540 and Sharon #512 among girls in Norway.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Kate was ranked #541 and Sharon #638 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Kate was ranked #1302 and Sharon #2000 among girls in England and Wales.
Kate and Sharon over time
Kate and Sharon appear together in 5 published lists, across 122 years of shared records. Kate held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Sharon in 1.
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.
Sharon reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 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 took the other's place near the top
In Republic of Ireland · Girls, Kate moved into the top 50 at #36 in 1989 as Sharon fell out of it to #52, having been #39 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1977, Kate moved ahead of Sharon in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #57 and #33 the year before became #33 and #44.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Kate and Sharon changed places 5 times in Norway · Girls between 1961 and 2001, ending at #540 and #512.
- Longest-running competitions
Kate and Sharon were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 51 years, from 1964 to 2020, ending at #23 and #834.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Kate #59 in 1996, Sharon #539 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls51 shared years, 1964–2020
Kate held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Sharon in 21.
Highest recorded here: Kate #10 in 2007, Sharon #5 in 1970.
The order changed in 1989: Kate moved ahead. In 1988 they stood at #45 and #39; by 1989 that had become #36 and #52.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Kate #23, Sharon #834.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Kate held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Sharon in 0.
Highest recorded here: Kate #59 in 1996, Sharon #539 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Kate #1302, Sharon #2000.
Norway · Girls23 shared years, 1961–2001
Kate held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Sharon in 3.
Highest recorded here: Kate #133 in 1962, Sharon #354 in 1980.
The order changed in 2001: Sharon moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #620 and #633; by 2001 that had become #540 and #512.
Most recent shared year, 2001: Kate #540, Sharon #512.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls10 shared years, 1973–1982
Kate held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Sharon in 4.
Highest recorded here: Kate #14 in 1981, Sharon #16 in 1973.
The order changed in 1977: Kate moved ahead. In 1976 they stood at #57 and #33; by 1977 that had become #33 and #44.
Most recent shared year, 1982: Kate #15, Sharon #88.
New Zealand · Girls9 shared years, 1973–1981
Kate held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Sharon in 5.
Highest recorded here: Kate #21 in 1980, Sharon #37 in 1973.
The order changed in 1978: Kate moved ahead. In 1977 they stood at #66 and #60; by 1978 that had become #38 and #40.
Most recent shared year, 1981: Kate #24, Sharon #78.
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 | Sharon |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | From a Hebrew place name — a fertile plain on the central west coast of Israel, also referenced in the biblical 'rose of Sharon' flowering plant. Used as a feminine given name in English since the 1920s. |
| Origin | Greek, short form of Katherine | Biblical Hebrew (place name origin) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈkeɪt/ | /ˈʃæɹ.ən/ |
| 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) | Scotland · Girls #638 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| 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 is recorded with a Greek, short form of Katherine origin, while Sharon is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew (place name origin) origin.
- Kate and Sharon both have 2 syllables.
- Kate's recorded meaning differs from Sharon'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
Sharon
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #47 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 recorded1952–1982
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1965 (recorded 1952–1982).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2000 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls