Kathryn vs Marion
Kathryn and Marioncompared 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 1956, Kathryn was ranked #47 and Marion #98 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1957, Kathryn was ranked #51 and Marion #94 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2011, Kathryn was ranked #550 and Marion #937 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Kathryn was ranked #2788 and Marion #3333 among girls in England and Wales.
Kathryn and Marion over time
Kathryn and Marion appear together in 2 published lists, across 71 years of shared records. Kathryn held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Marion 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.
Marion reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Kathryn 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Kathryn and Marion changed places 4 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2025, ending at #2788 and #3333.
- Longest-running competitions
Kathryn and Marion were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #2788 and #3333.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Kathryn #83 in 1997, Marion #1450 in 1997.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls41 shared years, 1964–2011
Kathryn held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Marion in 19.
Highest recorded here: Kathryn #141 in 1989, Marion #125 in 1965.
The order changed in 2007: Kathryn moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #406 and #406; by 2007 that had become #373 and #705.
Most recent shared year, 2011: Kathryn #550, Marion #937.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Kathryn held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Marion in 2.
Highest recorded here: Kathryn #83 in 1997, Marion #1450 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Kathryn #2788, Marion #3333.
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 | Kathryn | Marion |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Girls #2788 (2025) | Norway · Girls #253 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Kathryn and Marion both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Kathryn
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #55 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
Highest recorded1952–1993
Highest recorded position: #30 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1965 (recorded 1952–1993).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #2788 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Marion
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #183 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1954–1957
Highest recorded position: #57 among girls in New Zealand, in 1955 (recorded 1954–1957).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #3333 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls