Namewise

Kate vs Stephanie

Kate and Stephaniecompared 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 2005, Kate was ranked #24 and Stephanie #99 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Kate was ranked #52 and Stephanie #294 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2008, Kate was ranked #84 and Stephanie #60 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2023, Kate was ranked #126 and Stephanie #391 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Kate was ranked #541 and Stephanie #541 among girls in Scotland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2008, Kate was ranked #563 and Stephanie #616 among girls in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Kate was ranked #1079 and Stephanie #719 among girls in England and Wales.

Kate and Stephanie over time

Kate and Stephanie appear together in 6 published lists, across 207 years of shared records. Kate held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Stephanie in 2.

The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Stephanie reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Kate in 2. 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 1996, Kate moved ahead of Stephanie in New Zealand · Girls — #20 and #16 the year before became #17 and #22.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Kate and Stephanie changed places 4 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2025, ending at #1079 and #719.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 36 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Kate and Stephanie averaged 22.7 places apart, ending at #84 and #60.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 58 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Kate rose about as far as Stephanie fell — from #300 and #140 in 1964 to #52 and #294 in 2025.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Kate and Stephanie were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1079 and #719.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Kate #59 in 1996, Stephanie #48 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls58 shared years, 1964–2025

    Kate held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Stephanie in 23.

    Highest recorded here: Kate #10 in 2007, Stephanie #23 in 1990.

    The order changed in 1992: Kate moved ahead. In 1991 they stood at #30 and #26; by 1992 that had become #31 and #34.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Kate #52, Stephanie #294.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls36 shared years, 1973–2008

    Kate held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Stephanie in 20.

    Highest recorded here: Kate #11 in 1986, Stephanie #5 in 1994.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2008: Kate #84, Stephanie #60.

  • Norway · Girls32 shared years, 1966–2008

    Kate held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Stephanie in 19.

    Highest recorded here: Kate #133 in 1970, Stephanie #178 in 1989.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2008: Kate #563, Stephanie #616.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Kate held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Stephanie in 12.

    Highest recorded here: Kate #59 in 1996, Stephanie #48 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Kate #1079, Stephanie #719.

  • New Zealand · Girls29 shared years, 1973–2005

    Kate held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Stephanie in 12.

    Highest recorded here: Kate #14 in 2000, Stephanie #11 in 1991.

    The order changed in 1996: Kate moved ahead. In 1995 they stood at #20 and #16; by 1996 that had become #17 and #22.

    Most recent shared year, 2005: Kate #24, Stephanie #99.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls22 shared years, 1997–2023

    Kate held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Stephanie in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Kate #47 in 2005, Stephanie #50 in 1997.

    The order changed in 2000: Kate moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #104 and #76; by 2000 that had become #80 and #135.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Kate #126, Stephanie #391.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Kate

Pairs where Kate shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Stephanie

Pairs where Stephanie shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — mirrored each other.

All mirrored each other→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Republic of Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Republic of Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Kate, Stephanie
FieldKateStephanie
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningA 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 feminine form of Stephen, from Greek Stephanos meaning 'crown, wreath'.
OriginGreek, short form of KatherineGreek
Pronunciation/ˈkeɪt//ˈstɛf.ə.ni/
Syllables23
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #52 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #294 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10065/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10070/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Kate is recorded with a Greek, short form of Katherine origin, while Stephanie is recorded with a Greek origin.
  • Kate has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Stephanie.
  • Kate's recorded meaning differs from Stephanie'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

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #10 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2007 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1079 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Stephanie

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1953

    First recorded at #97 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1953 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1953–2010

    Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1994 (recorded 1953–2010).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #719 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls