Katie vs Niamh
Katie and Niamhcompared 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 2000, Katie was ranked #41 and Niamh #94 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Katie was ranked #41 and Niamh #90 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Katie was ranked #47 and Niamh #47 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Katie was ranked #131 and Niamh #76 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Katie was ranked #650 and Niamh #208 among girls in England and Wales.
Katie and Niamh over time
Katie and Niamh appear together in 3 published lists, across 108 years of shared records. Katie held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Niamh in 1.
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.
Niamh reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Katie 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 moved ahead of the other
In 2016, Niamh moved ahead of Katie in England and Wales · Girls — #99 and #109 the year before became #133 and #109.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Katie and Niamh changed places 6 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2024, ending at #47 and #47.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Girls, Katie and Niamh averaged 8.0 places apart, ending at #47 and #47.
- Longest-running competitions
Katie and Niamh were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #650 and #208.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Katie #1 in 2004, Niamh #5 in 2005.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls50 shared years, 1973–2025
Katie held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Niamh in 26.
Highest recorded here: Katie #2 in 2004, Niamh #2 in 1993.
The order changed in 2002: Katie moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #9 and #6; by 2002 that had become #7 and #8.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Katie #41, Niamh #90.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Katie held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Niamh in 10.
Highest recorded here: Katie #9 in 2004, Niamh #40 in 2000.
The order changed in 2016: Niamh moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #99 and #109; by 2016 that had become #133 and #109.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Katie #650, Niamh #208.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Katie held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Niamh in 7.
Highest recorded here: Katie #1 in 2004, Niamh #5 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Katie #47, Niamh #47.
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 | Niamh |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | A diminutive of Kate, itself a short form of Katherine. | Traditionally interpreted as 'bright' or 'radiant'. In Irish mythology, Niamh was daughter of the sea god Manannán mac Lir, who fell in love with the poet Oisín. |
| Origin | Greek, diminutive form | Irish (mythological) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈkeɪ.ti/ | /ˈnʲiːvˠ/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Neve, Níam |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #41 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #90 (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 | high |
What the data shows
- Katie is recorded with a Greek, diminutive form origin, while Niamh is recorded with a Irish (mythological) origin.
- Katie has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Niamh.
- Katie's recorded meaning differs from Niamh's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Katie a "medium" Data Confidence level and Niamh a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
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
Niamh
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #109 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1993 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #208 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls