Namewise

Katherine vs Susan

Katherine and Susancompared 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 1985, Katherine was ranked #25 and Susan #96 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1984, Katherine was ranked #32 and Susan #86 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2017, Katherine was ranked #355 and Susan #432 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 1997, Katherine was ranked #614 and Susan #481 among girls in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Katherine was ranked #594 and Susan #2253 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

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

Katherine and Susan over time

Katherine and Susan appear together in 6 published lists, across 179 years of shared records. Susan held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Katherine in 2.

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.

Susan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Katherine 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 took the other's place near the top

    In New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Katherine moved into the top 50 at #32 in 1977 as Susan fell out of it to #51, having been #36 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1977, Katherine moved ahead of Susan in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #38 and #36 the year before became #32 and #51.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Katherine and Susan changed places 8 times in Norway · Girls between 1963 and 1997, ending at #614 and #481.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Katherine and Susan averaged 47.4 places apart, ending at #25 and #96.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Katherine and Susan were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 30 years, from 1956 to 1985, ending at #25 and #96.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Katherine #48 in 1996, Susan #397 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls57 shared years, 1964–2023

    Katherine held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Susan in 35.

    Highest recorded here: Katherine #71 in 1965, Susan #14 in 1968.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Katherine #856, Susan #856.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls30 shared years, 1956–1985

    Katherine held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Susan in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Katherine #24 in 1982, Susan #2 in 1956.

    The order changed in 1977: Katherine moved ahead. In 1976 they stood at #38 and #36; by 1977 that had become #32 and #51.

    Most recent shared year, 1985: Katherine #25, Susan #96.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024

    Katherine held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Susan in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Katherine #48 in 1996, Susan #397 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Katherine #594, Susan #2253.

  • New Zealand · Girls25 shared years, 1955–1984

    Katherine held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Susan in 18.

    Highest recorded here: Katherine #32 in 1984, Susan #1 in 1955.

    The order changed in 1977: Katherine moved ahead. In 1976 they stood at #54 and #38; by 1977 that had become #40 and #47.

    Most recent shared year, 1984: Katherine #32, Susan #86.

  • Norway · Girls24 shared years, 1963–1997

    Katherine held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Susan in 17.

    Highest recorded here: Katherine #323 in 1983, Susan #219 in 1963.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1997: Katherine #614, Susan #481.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls14 shared years, 1997–2017

    Katherine held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Susan in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Katherine #56 in 1998, Susan #187 in 1998.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2017: Katherine #355, Susan #432.

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 Susan

Pairs where Susan 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 — one took the other's place near the top.

All one took the other's place near the top→

Other pairs from New South Wales, Australia lists

Pairs measured inside New South Wales, Australia's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New South Wales, Australia overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 1980s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1980 and 1989.

The 1980s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Katherine, Susan
FieldKatherineSusan
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, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #608 (2025)England and Wales · Girls #2253 (2024)
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 Susan.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, 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 #608 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

Susan

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1946

    First recorded at #239 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1952–1985

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1954 (recorded 1952–1985).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #2253 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.

    England and Wales · Girls