Kate vs Sophie
Kate and Sophiecompared 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 2014, Kate was ranked #81 and Sophie #5 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Kate was ranked #52 and Sophie #6 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2008, Kate was ranked #84 and Sophie #8 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Kate was ranked #134 and Sophie #14 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Kate was ranked #541 and Sophie #17 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Kate was ranked #1079 and Sophie #63 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 2022, Kate was ranked #490 and Sophie #138 among girls in Norway.
Kate and Sophie over time
Kate and Sophie appear together in 6 published lists, across 208 years of shared records. Sophie held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Kate in 0.
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.
Kate reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Sophie 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 1995, Sophie moved ahead of Kate in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #21 and #30 the year before became #26 and #25.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Kate and Sophie changed places 5 times in Norway · Girls between 1960 and 2022, ending at #490 and #138.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 24 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Kate and Sophie averaged 32.6 places apart, ending at #84 and #8.
- Longest-running competitions
Kate and Sophie were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1079 and #63.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Kate #59 in 1996, Sophie #1 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls54 shared years, 1970–2025
Kate held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Sophie in 30.
Highest recorded here: Kate #10 in 2007, Sophie #1 in 2009.
The order changed in 1997: Sophie moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #25 and #29; by 1997 that had become #26 and #23.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Kate #52, Sophie #6.
Norway · Girls41 shared years, 1960–2022
Kate held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Sophie in 25.
Highest recorded here: Kate #119 in 1960, Sophie #106 in 2016.
The order changed in 1989: Sophie moved ahead. In 1988 they stood at #529 and #542; by 1989 that had become #489 and #297.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Kate #490, Sophie #138.
New Zealand · Girls31 shared years, 1984–2014
Kate held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Sophie in 21.
Highest recorded here: Kate #14 in 2000, Sophie #1 in 2008.
The order changed in 1994: Sophie moved ahead. In 1993 they stood at #15 and #19; by 1994 that had become #20 and #15.
Most recent shared year, 2014: Kate #81, Sophie #5.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Kate held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sophie in 30.
Highest recorded here: Kate #59 in 1996, Sophie #1 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Kate #1079, Sophie #63.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Kate held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sophie in 28.
Highest recorded here: Kate #47 in 2005, Sophie #1 in 2010.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Kate #134, Sophie #14.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls24 shared years, 1985–2008
Kate held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Sophie in 14.
Highest recorded here: Kate #11 in 1986, Sophie #5 in 2004.
The order changed in 1995: Sophie moved ahead. In 1994 they stood at #21 and #30; by 1995 that had become #26 and #25.
Most recent shared year, 2008: Kate #84, Sophie #8.
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 | Sophie |
|---|---|---|
| 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 French form of Sophia, from Ancient Greek 'sophia' meaning 'wisdom'. |
| Origin | Greek, short form of Katherine | Greek, via French transmission |
| Pronunciation | /ˈkeɪt/ | /sɔ.fi/ |
| 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) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #6 (2025) |
| 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 Sophie is recorded with a Greek, via French transmission origin.
- Kate and Sophie both have 2 syllables.
- Kate's recorded meaning differs from Sophie'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 #1079 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Sophie
Popularity journey
First recorded1960
First recorded at #492 among girls in Norway in 1960 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 1996 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #63 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls