Catherine
Catherine was the 314th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 972 babies. Its best year was 1914, when it ranked 18th; the most babies were born in 1956 (12,056). Over the last ten years it has moved down 137 places. More babies were named Catherine in the 1950s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Katherine) Origin uncertain · Greek
- Rank in 2025
- #314 girls, down 47 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 972girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 195612,056 babies
- Total since 1880
- 669,611babies recorded
What does the name Catherine mean?
Catherine is a spelling of Katherine, pronounced the same way, so it shares Katherine's meaning and origin.
Katherine comes from the Greek Aikaterine, whose origin DMNES calls uncertain. DMNES stresses that it is unrelated to Greek katharos, 'pure', although it was later linked with that word, which led to Latin spellings with th. Saint Catherine, a 4th-century virgin martyr, became one of the most popular saints of the Middle Ages, and DMNES lists many queens of the name. Wikipedia names her as Catherine of Alexandria. Kate, Katie, Kathy and Kay are common pet forms.
Αἰκατερίνη (Ancient Greek, “Aikaterine”)
How sure is this? Uncertain. Origin of the Greek name uncertain.
Other explanations you may read: Means 'pure' (Greek katharos).
Related names: Catherine, Kathryn, Kate, Katie, Catalina, Karen, Kay.
See also: Greek names.
Sources for this meaning
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Katherine', Durham University / The DMNES Editors
- Wiktionary, entry 'Katherine', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
- Wikipedia, 'Katherine', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
Catherine popularity since 1880
A few boys are given the name too: 1,822 since 1884.
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #314 | 972 |
| 2020 | #267 | 1,155 |
| 2010 | #194 | 1,612 |
| 2000 | #81 | 3,802 |
| 1990 | #71 | 4,894 |
| 1980 | #77 | 4,080 |
| 1970 | #59 | 6,004 |
| 1960 | #42 | 9,536 |
| 1950 | #34 | 9,655 |
| 1940 | #53 | 4,584 |
| 1930 | #35 | 6,299 |
| 1920 | #21 | 8,878 |
| 1910 | #22 | 3,161 |
| 1900 | #34 | 2,081 |
| 1890 | #44 | 1,232 |
| 1880 | #31 | 688 |
How popular is Catherine, counting every spelling?
Catherine is a spelling of Katherine, a name family that ranked #116 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #314 for Catherine on its own. Together these spellings went to 2,730 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Katherine | 1,670 | #186 | 8,684 |
| Catherine | 972 | #314 | 4,847 |
| Katheryn | 45 | #3,428 | 214 |
| Katherin | 34 | #4,222 | 187 |
| Katheryne | 9 | #10,495 | 38 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Catherine?
972 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Catherine (0.27 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Catherine born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 9 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Catherine.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Catherine?
About 374,400 people born in the US named Catherine are alive today, with a median age of 59; half are between 37 and 71. That makes Catherine a name most people associate with older generations.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Catherine by state
How common Catherine was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in District of Columbia (4.8×), Alabama (2.3×), South Carolina (2.3×), Louisiana (2.0×), Connecticut (1.9×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in New Mexico, West Virginia, Oregon.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Catherine: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Catherine, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Catherine
What does Catherine mean?
The origin of Katherine is uncertain: Origin of the Greek name uncertain.
How popular is the name Catherine?
Catherine was the 314th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 972 babies. Its best year was 1914, when it ranked 18th; the most babies were born in 1956 (12,056). Over the last ten years it has moved down 137 places. More babies were named Catherine in the 1950s than in any other decade.
Is Catherine a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Catherine in the US.
Where is Catherine most popular?
In 2021–2025, Catherine was most common in District of Columbia (2.87 per 1,000 girls), followed by Alabama and South Carolina.