Katie vs Lucy
Katie and Lucycompared 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.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Katie was ranked #41 and Lucy #16 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2014, Katie was ranked #94 and Lucy #19 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2009, Katie was ranked #92 and Lucy #23 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Katie was ranked #131 and Lucy #28 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Katie was ranked #47 and Lucy #38 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Katie was ranked #547 and Lucy #123 among girls in England and Wales.
Katie and Lucy over time
Katie and Lucy appear together in 5 published lists, across 161 years of shared records. Lucy held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Katie 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.
Katie reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Lucy 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, Lucy moved into the top 50 at #46 in 1990 as Katie fell out of it to #54, having been #38 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1997, Lucy moved ahead of Katie in England and Wales · Girls — #12 and #15 the year before became #15 and #12.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Katie and Lucy changed places 5 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2024, ending at #47 and #38.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 22 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Katie and Lucy averaged 41.3 places apart, ending at #92 and #23.
- Mirrored each other
Over 32 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Lucy rose about as far as Katie fell — from #55 and #100 in 1979 to #94 and #19 in 2014.
- Longest-running competitions
Katie and Lucy were both ranked in New Zealand · Girls for 32 years, from 1979 to 2014, ending at #94 and #19.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Katie #9 in 2004, Lucy #7 in 2003.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #12 and #15 in England and Wales · Girls, 3 places apart; by 2024 they were #547 and #123.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls50 shared years, 1973–2025
Katie held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Lucy in 23.
Highest recorded here: Katie #2 in 2004, Lucy #3 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Katie #41, Lucy #16.
New Zealand · Girls32 shared years, 1979–2014
Katie held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Lucy in 20.
Highest recorded here: Katie #33 in 1982, Lucy #12 in 2006.
The order changed in 1994: Lucy moved ahead. In 1993 they stood at #41 and #55; by 1994 that had become #55 and #46.
Most recent shared year, 2014: Katie #94, Lucy #19.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Katie held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Lucy in 28.
Highest recorded here: Katie #9 in 2004, Lucy #7 in 2003.
The order changed in 1997: Lucy moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #12 and #15; by 1997 that had become #15 and #12.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Katie #547, Lucy #123.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Katie held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Lucy in 12.
Highest recorded here: Katie #1 in 2004, Lucy #4 in 2007.
The order changed in 2023: Lucy moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #19 and #23; by 2023 that had become #43 and #39.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Katie #47, Lucy #38.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls22 shared years, 1985–2009
Katie held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Lucy in 17.
Highest recorded here: Katie #23 in 1986, Lucy #22 in 2006.
The order changed in 1990: Lucy moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #38 and #63; by 1990 that had become #54 and #46.
Most recent shared year, 2009: Katie #92, Lucy #23.
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 | Lucy |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | A diminutive of Kate, itself a short form of Katherine. | The English form of Lucia, from Latin 'lux' meaning 'light'. In use since the Middle Ages. |
| Origin | Greek, diminutive form | Latin |
| Pronunciation | /ˈkeɪ.ti/ | /ˈluː.si/ |
| 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 #16 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| 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 Lucy is recorded with a Latin origin.
- Katie and Lucy both have 2 syllables.
- Katie's recorded meaning differs from Lucy'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 #41 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Lucy
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #523 among girls in Norway in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2016 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #32 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls