Namewise

Katherine vs Maeve

Katherine and Maevecompared 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.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Katherine was ranked #476 and Maeve #25 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Katherine was ranked #872 and Maeve #26 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Katherine was ranked #288 and Maeve #57 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Katherine was ranked #608 and Maeve #60 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

Katherine and Maeve over time

Katherine and Maeve appear together in 3 published lists, across 118 years of shared records. Maeve held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Katherine in 1.

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.

Katherine reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Maeve 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 2020, Maeve moved ahead of Katherine in Northern Ireland · Girls — #195 and #208 the year before became #333 and #158.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Katherine and Maeve changed places 5 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2024, ending at #288 and #57.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Katherine and Maeve were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #872 and #26.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1964 they stood at #77 and #80 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 3 places apart; by 2025 they were #608 and #60.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Katherine held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Maeve in 57.

    Highest recorded here: Katherine #71 in 1965, Maeve #59 in 2000.

    The order changed in 1986: Maeve moved ahead. In 1985 they stood at #87 and #95; by 1986 that had become #119 and #93.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Katherine #608, Maeve #60.

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

    Katherine held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Maeve in 7.

    Highest recorded here: Katherine #48 in 1996, Maeve #26 in 2024.

    The order changed in 2019: Maeve moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #392 and #507; by 2019 that had become #485 and #218.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Katherine #872, Maeve #26.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1997–2024

    Katherine held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Maeve in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Katherine #56 in 1998, Maeve #57 in 2024.

    The order changed in 2020: Maeve moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #195 and #208; by 2020 that had become #333 and #158.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Katherine #288, Maeve #57.

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 Maeve

Pairs where Maeve 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 — started together, ended far apart.

All started together, ended far apart→

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 Katherine, Maeve
FieldKatherineMaeve
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 recordedNot 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, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #608 (2025)England and Wales · Girls #26 (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 Maeve.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, 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

Maeve

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #80 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded2020–2023

    Highest recorded position: #25 among girls in New Zealand, in 2023 (recorded 2020–2023).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #26 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls