Namewise

Katherine vs Stephanie

Katherine 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 South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2000, Katherine was ranked #81 and Stephanie #27 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1998, Katherine was ranked #85 and Stephanie #57 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Katherine was ranked #608 and Stephanie #294 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2020, Katherine was ranked #333 and Stephanie #333 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2001, Katherine was ranked #334 and Stephanie #403 among girls in Norway.

  • Scotland · Girls

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

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Katherine was ranked #872 and Stephanie #719 among girls in England and Wales.

Katherine and Stephanie over time

Katherine and Stephanie appear together in 6 published lists, across 209 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

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 4 of those lists, Stephanie in 1. 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 1986, Stephanie moved ahead of Katherine in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #25 and #27 the year before became #29 and #19.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Katherine and Stephanie changed places 6 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2025, ending at #872 and #719.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 35 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Katherine and Stephanie averaged 38.9 places apart, ending at #81 and #27.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Katherine and Stephanie were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #872 and #719.

  • Peaked in the same years

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

List by list

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

    Katherine held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Stephanie in 45.

    Highest recorded here: Katherine #71 in 1965, Stephanie #23 in 1990.

    The order changed in 2025: Stephanie moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #556 and #631; by 2025 that had become #608 and #294.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Katherine #608, Stephanie #294.

  • New Zealand · Girls40 shared years, 1955–1998

    Katherine held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Stephanie in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Katherine #32 in 1984, Stephanie #11 in 1991.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1998: Katherine #85, Stephanie #57.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls35 shared years, 1965–2000

    Katherine held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Stephanie in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Katherine #24 in 1982, Stephanie #5 in 1994.

    The order changed in 1986: Stephanie moved ahead. In 1985 they stood at #25 and #27; by 1986 that had become #29 and #19.

    Most recent shared year, 2000: Katherine #81, Stephanie #27.

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

    Katherine held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Stephanie in 4.

    Highest recorded here: Katherine #48 in 1996, Stephanie #48 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Katherine #872, Stephanie #719.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls21 shared years, 1997–2020

    Katherine held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Stephanie in 4.

    Highest recorded here: Katherine #56 in 1998, Stephanie #50 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2020: Katherine #333, Stephanie #333.

  • Norway · Girls21 shared years, 1972–2001

    Katherine held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Stephanie in 18.

    Highest recorded here: Katherine #323 in 1983, Stephanie #178 in 1989.

    The order changed in 2001: Katherine moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #614 and #313; by 2001 that had become #334 and #403.

    Most recent shared year, 2001: Katherine #334, Stephanie #403.

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 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 — 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, Stephanie
FieldKatherineStephanie
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedThe feminine form of Stephen, from Greek Stephanos meaning 'crown, wreath'.
OriginNot yet recordedGreek
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˈstɛf.ə.ni/
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)Republic of Ireland · Girls #294 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded65/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)70/10070/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Stephanie has a recorded origin (Greek); Katherine does not have one recorded yet.
  • Katherine has 4 syllables, compared with 3 for Stephanie.
  • A meaning is recorded for Stephanie; 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

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