Kate
Say it: KATE/keɪt/
GirlMeans a short form of Katherine4 letters1 syllable
#52
in Ireland (2025)
94
babies in 2025
#10
best rank (2007)
10,278
babies since 1964
Down 35
10-year rank change
Kate through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 94 | #52 |
| 2024 | 106 | #49 |
| 2023 | 123 | #41 |
| 2022 | 147 | #36 |
| 2021 | 172 | #28 |
| 2020 | 189 | #23 |
| 2019 | 204 | #24 |
| 2018 | 240 | #17 |
| 2017 | 261 | #16 |
| 2016 | 302 | #14 |
| 2015 | 283 | #17 |
| 2014 | 290 | #18 |
| 2013 | 328 | #15 |
| 2012 | 316 | #18 |
| 2011 | 350 | #15 |
| 2010 | 348 | #19 |
| 2009 | 364 | #13 |
| 2008 | 419 | #10 |
| 2007 | 426 | #10 |
| 2006 | 307 | #23 |
| 2005 | 284 | #22 |
| 2004 | 342 | #14 |
| 2003 | 295 | #17 |
| 2002 | 301 | #18 |
| 2001 | 258 | #22 |
| 2000 | 263 | #18 |
| 1999 | 246 | #19 |
| 1998 | 197 | #22 |
| 1997 | 245 | #26 |
| 1996 | 223 | #25 |
| 1995 | 193 | #28 |
| 1994 | 191 | #26 |
| 1993 | 192 | #28 |
| 1992 | 182 | #31 |
| 1991 | 189 | #30 |
| 1990 | 157 | #40 |
| 1989 | 160 | #36 |
| 1988 | 151 | #45 |
| 1987 | 150 | #48 |
| 1986 | 134 | #60 |
| 1985 | 140 | #55 |
| 1984 | 89 | #88 |
| 1983 | 101 | #81 |
| 1982 | 73 | #110 |
| 1981 | 61 | #128 |
| 1980 | 56 | #138 |
| 1979 | 40 | #161 |
| 1978 | 25 | #211 |
| 1977 | 20 | #225 |
| 1976 | 12 | #271 |
| 1975 | 5 | #406 |
| 1974 | 5 | #393 |
| 1973 | 5 | #402 |
| 1971 | 8 | #303 |
| 1970 | 5 | #363 |
| 1969 | 3 | #443 |
| 1966 | 3 | #380 |
| 1964 | 5 | #300 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Kate mean?
A short form of Katherine
English, a short form of Katherine and related names.
Say it right
KATE
The story of Kate
Kate is a short form of Katherine, and of related names such as Caitlin, and it has long been used as a full name. Katherine goes back to the Greek name Aikaterine, whose origin is uncertain.
Kate was given only rarely in Ireland in the 1960s and 1970s, then rose steadily from the 1980s. It reached number 10 in 2007 and again in 2008. Its busiest year was 2007, with 426 babies. It has eased back since, and Katie and Katherine are counted by the CSO as separate names.
It has always been less common in Northern Ireland, where its best position was 47th, in 2005.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Kate (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Kate (given name)
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, Baby Names in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Nicknames
Katie
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Kate | 94 | 10,278 |
In Northern Ireland
#191 in 2025 with 9 babies. Best rank #47 (2005); 810 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.