Katie vs Laura
Katie and Lauracompared 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 2008, Katie was ranked #33 and Laura #71 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Katie was ranked #41 and Laura #112 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Katie was ranked #47 and Laura #253 among girls in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2009, Katie was ranked #92 and Laura #90 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Katie was ranked #131 and Laura #351 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Katie was ranked #650 and Laura #303 among girls in England and Wales.
Katie and Laura over time
Katie and Laura appear together in 5 published lists, across 169 years of shared records. Katie held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Laura in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Laura reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Katie in 2. 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 Zealand · Girls, Katie moved into the top 50 at #46 in 2004 as Laura fell out of it to #53, having been #32 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2017, Laura moved ahead of Katie in England and Wales · Girls — #133 and #150 the year before became #167 and #145.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Katie and Laura changed places 5 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1978 and 2008, ending at #33 and #71.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 31 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Katie and Laura averaged 31.9 places apart, ending at #92 and #90.
- Longest-running competitions
Katie and Laura were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #650 and #303.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #12 and #17 in England and Wales · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2025 they were #650 and #303.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls50 shared years, 1973–2025
Katie held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Laura in 24.
Highest recorded here: Katie #2 in 2004, Laura #2 in 1985.
The order changed in 2000: Katie moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #13 and #12; by 2000 that had become #12 and #13.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Katie #41, Laura #112.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls31 shared years, 1976–2009
Katie held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Laura in 24.
Highest recorded here: Katie #23 in 1986, Laura #9 in 1994.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2009: Katie #92, Laura #90.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Katie held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Laura in 9.
Highest recorded here: Katie #9 in 2004, Laura #17 in 1996.
The order changed in 2017: Laura moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #133 and #150; by 2017 that had become #167 and #145.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Katie #650, Laura #303.
New Zealand · Girls30 shared years, 1978–2008
Katie held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Laura in 21.
Highest recorded here: Katie #33 in 1981, Laura #8 in 1995.
The order changed in 2004: Katie moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #38 and #32; by 2004 that had become #46 and #53.
Most recent shared year, 2008: Katie #33, Laura #71.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Katie held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Laura in 2.
Highest recorded here: Katie #1 in 2004, Laura #13 in 1997.
The order changed in 1999: Katie moved ahead. In 1998 they stood at #17 and #15; by 1999 that had become #13 and #19.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Katie #47, Laura #253.
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 | Katie | Laura |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | A diminutive of Kate, itself a short form of Katherine. | From Latin 'laurus' meaning 'laurel' — laurel wreaths honoured victors in ancient Rome. Also the subject of 14th-century Italian poet Petrarch's poems. |
| Origin | Greek, diminutive form | Latin |
| Pronunciation | /ˈkeɪ.ti/ | /ˈlɔɹ.ə/ |
| 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, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #41 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #112 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Katie is recorded with a Greek, diminutive form origin, while Laura is recorded with a Latin origin.
- Katie and Laura both have 2 syllables.
- Katie's recorded meaning differs from Laura's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Katie
Popularity journey
First recorded1973
First recorded at #508 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1973 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2004 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #650 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Laura
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #313 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1985 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #303 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls