Katherine vs Philomena
Katherine and Philomenacompared 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.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Katherine was ranked #594 and Philomena #4843 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Katherine was ranked #608 and Philomena #885 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Katherine and Philomena over time
Katherine and Philomena appear together in 2 published lists, across 80 years of shared records. Katherine held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Philomena in 0.
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.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.
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 Philomena changed places 7 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1964 and 2025, ending at #608 and #885.
- Longest-running competitions
Katherine and Philomena were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 53 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #608 and #885.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Katherine #71 in 1965, Philomena #72 in 1964.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1964 they stood at #77 and #72 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2025 they were #608 and #885.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls53 shared years, 1964–2025
Katherine held the stronger position in 49 of those years, Philomena in 3.
Highest recorded here: Katherine #71 in 1965, Philomena #72 in 1964.
The order changed in 2025: Katherine moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #856 and #856; by 2025 that had become #608 and #885.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Katherine #608, Philomena #885.
England and Wales · Girls27 shared years, 1996–2024
Katherine held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Philomena in 0.
Highest recorded here: Katherine #48 in 1996, Philomena #1658 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Katherine #594, Philomena #4843.
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 | Katherine | Philomena |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 4 | 4 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | GB-ENW, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #608 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #885 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 70/100 | 70/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 60/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Katherine and Philomena both have 4 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE.
How each name got here
Katherine
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1956–2000
Highest recorded position: #24 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1982 (recorded 1956–2000).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #608 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Philomena
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #72 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
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #72 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #885 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls