Namewise

Katherine vs Kelly

Katherine and Kellycompared 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 1998, Katherine was ranked #85 and Kelly #89 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1995, Katherine was ranked #88 and Kelly #99 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2001, Katherine was ranked #334 and Kelly #541 among girls in Norway.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2021, Katherine was ranked #350 and Kelly #446 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2023, Katherine was ranked #856 and Kelly #404 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Katherine was ranked #476 and Kelly #790 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Katherine was ranked #872 and Kelly #2006 among girls in England and Wales.

Katherine and Kelly over time

Katherine and Kelly appear together in 6 published lists, across 175 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

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

Kelly reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Katherine 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.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Katherine and Kelly changed places 4 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1970 and 1998, ending at #85 and #89.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Katherine and Kelly averaged 17.5 places apart, ending at #88 and #99.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Katherine and Kelly were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #872 and #2006.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Katherine #48 in 1996, Kelly #74 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls54 shared years, 1969–2023

    Katherine held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Kelly in 35.

    Highest recorded here: Katherine #87 in 1985, Kelly #35 in 1994.

    The order changed in 2019: Kelly moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #411 and #629; by 2019 that had become #621 and #395.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Katherine #856, Kelly #404.

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

    Katherine held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Kelly in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Katherine #48 in 1996, Kelly #74 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Katherine #872, Kelly #2006.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls30 shared years, 1964–1995

    Katherine held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Kelly in 18.

    Highest recorded here: Katherine #24 in 1982, Kelly #6 in 1979.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1995: Katherine #88, Kelly #99.

  • New Zealand · Girls29 shared years, 1970–1998

    Katherine held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Kelly in 24.

    Highest recorded here: Katherine #32 in 1984, Kelly #3 in 1978.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1998: Katherine #85, Kelly #89.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls16 shared years, 1997–2021

    Katherine held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Kelly in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Katherine #56 in 1998, Kelly #101 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2021: Katherine #350, Kelly #446.

  • Norway · Girls16 shared years, 1976–2001

    Katherine held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Kelly in 4.

    Highest recorded here: Katherine #323 in 1983, Kelly #380 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2001: Katherine #334, Kelly #541.

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 Katherine

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

Other comparisons involving Kelly

Pairs where Kelly 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 — close in one country, far apart in another.

All close in one country, far apart in another→

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 Katherine, Kelly
FieldKatherineKelly
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
PronunciationNot yet recorded
Syllables42
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 #608 (2025)England and Wales · Girls #2006 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)70/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Katherine has 4 syllables, compared with 2 for Kelly.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Katherine

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1955

    First recorded at #100 among girls in New Zealand in 1955 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New Zealand · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1956–2000

    Highest recorded position: #24 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1982 (recorded 1956–2000).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #872 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Kelly

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #93 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1970–1998

    Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in New Zealand, in 1978 (recorded 1970–1998).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #2006 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls