Namewise

Katherine vs Samantha

Katherine and Samanthacompared 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 2001, Katherine was ranked #76 and Samantha #8 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2000, Katherine was ranked #81 and Samantha #13 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2001, Katherine was ranked #334 and Samantha #553 among girls in Norway.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

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

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Katherine was ranked #476 and Samantha #541 among girls in Scotland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Katherine was ranked #608 and Samantha #885 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Katherine was ranked #872 and Samantha #778 among girls in England and Wales.

Katherine and Samantha over time

Katherine and Samantha appear together in 6 published lists, across 182 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

The order between them changed and held in 2 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 5 of those lists, and Samantha 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 1967, Samantha moved ahead of Katherine in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #57 and #79 the year before became #62 and #60.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Katherine and Samantha changed places 6 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2025, ending at #872 and #778.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Katherine and Samantha averaged 48.5 places apart, ending at #872 and #778.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 21 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Samantha rose about as far as Katherine fell — from #36 and #99 in 1978 to #76 and #8 in 2001.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Katherine and Samantha were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #872 and #778.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Katherine #48 in 1996, Samantha #32 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls60 shared years, 1966–2025

    Katherine held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Samantha in 46.

    Highest recorded here: Katherine #78 in 1966, Samantha #33 in 1986.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Katherine #608, Samantha #885.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls34 shared years, 1966–2000

    Katherine held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Samantha in 33.

    Highest recorded here: Katherine #24 in 1982, Samantha #3 in 1992.

    The order changed in 1967: Samantha moved ahead. In 1966 they stood at #57 and #79; by 1967 that had become #62 and #60.

    Most recent shared year, 2000: Katherine #81, Samantha #13.

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

    Katherine held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Samantha in 11.

    Highest recorded here: Katherine #48 in 1996, Samantha #32 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Katherine #872, Samantha #778.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls22 shared years, 1997–2021

    Katherine held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Samantha in 9.

    Highest recorded here: Katherine #56 in 1998, Samantha #57 in 2000.

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

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

  • New Zealand · Girls21 shared years, 1978–2001

    Katherine held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Samantha in 15.

    Highest recorded here: Katherine #32 in 1984, Samantha #3 in 1989.

    The order changed in 1985: Samantha moved ahead. In 1984 they stood at #32 and #55; by 1985 that had become #37 and #29.

    Most recent shared year, 2001: Katherine #76, Samantha #8.

  • Norway · Girls15 shared years, 1978–2001

    Katherine held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Samantha in 7.

    Highest recorded here: Katherine #323 in 1983, Samantha #383 in 1989.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2001: Katherine #334, Samantha #553.

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 Samantha

Pairs where Samantha 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 — repeatedly exchanged positions.

All repeatedly exchanged positions→

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, Samantha
FieldKatherineSamantha
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedLikely a feminine adaptation of Samuel, incorporating a suffix possibly derived from Greek 'anthos' ('flower'). Emerged in 18th-century America; boosted to wide popularity by the 1964 television series Bewitched.
OriginNot yet recordedHebrew, feminine adaptation (uncertain suffix origin)
PronunciationNot yet recorded/sə.ˈmæn.θə/
Syllables43
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)Norway · Girls #525 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)70/10076/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Samantha has a recorded origin (Hebrew, feminine adaptation (uncertain suffix origin)); Katherine does not have one recorded yet.
  • Katherine has 4 syllables, compared with 3 for Samantha.
  • A meaning is recorded for Samantha; Katherine doesn't have one written yet.
  • 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

Samantha

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1966

    First recorded at #79 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1966 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1966–2013

    Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1992 (recorded 1966–2013).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #778 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls