Namewise

Kathleen vs Susan

Kathleen 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 1982, Kathleen was ranked #87 and Susan #70 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1984, Kathleen was ranked #100 and Susan #86 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2023, Kathleen was ranked #202 and Susan #856 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2011, Kathleen was ranked #311 and Susan #444 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Kathleen was ranked #997 and Susan #2440 among girls in England and Wales.

Kathleen and Susan over time

Kathleen and Susan appear together in 5 published lists, across 151 years of shared records. Kathleen held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Susan in 2.

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.

Kathleen reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Susan 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 1993, Kathleen moved ahead of Susan in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #74 and #74 the year before became #64 and #92.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 31 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Kathleen and Susan averaged 36.5 places apart, ending at #87 and #70.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Kathleen and Susan were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #997 and #2440.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Kathleen #227 in 1996, Susan #397 in 1996.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1964 they stood at #23 and #22 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 1 places apart; by 2023 they were #202 and #856.

List by list

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

    Kathleen held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Susan in 26.

    Highest recorded here: Kathleen #18 in 1965, Susan #14 in 1968.

    The order changed in 1993: Kathleen moved ahead. In 1992 they stood at #74 and #74; by 1993 that had become #64 and #92.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Kathleen #202, Susan #856.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls31 shared years, 1952–1982

    Kathleen held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Susan in 31.

    Highest recorded here: Kathleen #29 in 1952, Susan #1 in 1954.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1982: Kathleen #87, Susan #70.

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

    Kathleen held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Susan in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Kathleen #227 in 1996, Susan #397 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Kathleen #997, Susan #2440.

  • New Zealand · Girls20 shared years, 1954–1984

    Kathleen held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Susan in 20.

    Highest recorded here: Kathleen #31 in 1954, Susan #1 in 1955.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1984: Kathleen #100, Susan #86.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls13 shared years, 1997–2011

    Kathleen held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Susan in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Kathleen #112 in 1997, Susan #187 in 1998.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2011: Kathleen #311, Susan #444.

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 Kathleen

Pairs where Kathleen 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 — peaked in the same years.

All peaked in the same years→

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 Kathleen, Susan
FieldKathleenSusan
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Pronunciation
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #352 (2025)England and Wales · Girls #2440 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)76/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Kathleen and Susan both have 2 syllables.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Kathleen

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #29 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #18 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1965 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #997 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · 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 recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #2440 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls