Baby Name Popularity Profile

Katherine

Data-driven SSA statistics, rankings, and historical trends for Katherine.

✦ Pure 🌍 Greek traditional royal
National Rank (2025) #186
All-Time Peak Rank #25 Achieved 1991
Total U.S. Births 650,926 since 1880
Unisex Distribution 0.1% Boy / 99.9% Girl Female Archetype
First Recorded 1880 Last seen: 2025
Peak Decade 1980s 11,625 births in 1990
πŸ’‘ The Katherine Vibe: Considered a Perennial Favorite. A historic staple that has maintained dominant national popularity for over half a century.

🌍 Meaning & Etymology

Primary Meaning Pure
Language Origin Greek
Origin Type single
Derived from the Greek name Aikaterine, which was later associated with the Greek word katharos meaning 'pure'.
Common Nicknames
Kate Katie Kathy Kit
Alternative Spellings
Catherine Kathryn Katharine Katerine
Pronunciation: KATH-Ι™-rin
Themes & Categories
traditional royal
Etymology confidence: High

πŸ“– The Story Behind Katherine

According to SSA data, Katherine achieved its highest historical rank of #25 in 1991. Its highest annual registration volume occurred in 1990 with 11,625 babies. Between 2015 and 2025, modern registrations have decreased by 51.7%. Overall, the name has maintained a ranked presence for 146 consecutive years.

πŸ“Š Factual Timeline & Current Trajectory (1880 – 2025)

Registration footprint of Katherine across 145 years of SSA data.

5-Year Trajectory Declining
10-Year Shift -51.7% Decline
18801920196020002025

πŸ“ˆ Popularity Milestones & Volatility

Busiest Year on Record 11,625 births in 1990
Years in Top 100 132 yrs
Years in Top 500 146 yrs
Registry Streak 146 yrs
Historical Volatility Moderately Volatile
Largest 1-Year Jump N/A
Decade-by-Decade Registration Volumes
1880s: 6,922
1890s: 9,408
1900s: 12,105
1910s: 36,884
1920s: 42,745
1930s: 25,193
1940s: 39,912
1950s: 66,855
1960s: 50,619
1970s: 54,048
1980s: 99,175
1990s: 96,885
2000s: 65,356
2010s: 34,144
2020s: 10,675

πŸ“ Sound & Spelling Structure

Phonetic Syllables Kat-he-rine
Letter Count 9 letters
Spelling Complexity Complex
Length Percentile Longer than 92.2% of names
Linguistic Profile: Longer than 92.2% of SSA names. Starts with K, a letter used by only 7.8% of SSA names.

πŸ› οΈ Sibling & Surname Cadence Tool

Enter a surname or sibling name to test how it pairs with Katherine.

πŸ“ Authentic State & Regional Rankings

Highest Ranking State Alaska
Top States Alaska, District of Columbia, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Vermont
States with Data 51
State 2025 Rank Total Births Peak Year 5-Yr Velocity
Alaska Unranked 1,491 1991 Insufficient historical volume
District of Columbia #83 4,723 1982 Insufficient historical volume
New Hampshire #254 3,246 1989 Insufficient historical volume
Connecticut #169 10,939 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Vermont Unranked 1,682 1982 Insufficient historical volume
Virginia #155 20,267 1989 26.1% Decline
Maine Unranked 3,766 1989 Insufficient historical volume
Massachusetts #156 20,920 1990 18.2% Decline
Maryland #238 12,761 1991 59.3% Decline
Delaware #198 1,663 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Wyoming Unranked 1,077 1984 Insufficient historical volume
Hawaii Unranked 2,296 1925 Insufficient historical volume
Minnesota #295 13,524 1984 Insufficient historical volume
Colorado #286 8,738 1983 24.1% Decline
Rhode Island Unranked 2,627 1989 Insufficient historical volume
Montana Unranked 2,190 1920 Insufficient historical volume
New Jersey #216 19,312 1990 13.6% Decline
Washington #182 11,235 1990 +2.5% Growth
Tennessee #144 14,803 1992 Stable
Oregon #682 6,103 1988 Insufficient historical volume
Missouri #182 14,828 1986 10.5% Decline
New York #225 50,308 1990 13.5% Decline
Illinois #189 32,014 1989 22.9% Decline
Wisconsin #284 12,568 1983 36.7% Decline
Kansas #152 6,585 1987 Insufficient historical volume
Nebraska #176 4,567 1985 Insufficient historical volume
Michigan #297 23,365 1984 25.0% Decline
Georgia #171 17,225 1990 26.2% Decline
Kentucky #126 10,592 1989 +40.0% Growth
South Carolina #96 8,819 1986 +41.9% Growth
California #207 60,687 1992 39.2% Decline
North Carolina #124 17,386 1989 +15.7% Growth
North Dakota Unranked 2,035 1917 Insufficient historical volume
Ohio #187 27,294 1988 +7.3% Growth
Florida #172 20,119 1989 8.2% Decline
Mississippi #110 7,326 1949 Insufficient historical volume
Louisiana #145 10,418 1985 Insufficient historical volume
Idaho #445 2,252 1983 Insufficient historical volume
Alabama #79 10,187 1993 +21.4% Growth
Iowa #365 7,322 1984 Insufficient historical volume
Indiana #196 13,101 1986 +2.9% Growth
South Dakota Unranked 1,848 1952 Insufficient historical volume
Nevada #311 1,764 1995 Insufficient historical volume
Texas #139 39,260 1989 17.0% Decline
West Virginia Unranked 4,784 1924 Insufficient historical volume
Arizona #258 6,234 1991 26.3% Decline
New Mexico #198 2,708 1956 Insufficient historical volume
Pennsylvania #258 26,951 1915 18.9% Decline
Arkansas #173 5,390 1920 33.3% Decline
Utah #204 4,048 1988 Insufficient historical volume
Oklahoma #160 6,683 1984 Insufficient historical volume

πŸ‘¨β€πŸ‘©β€πŸ‘§ Sibling Name Suggestions

πŸ‘¦ Brother Suggestions
Nicholas Zachary Antonio Brandon Malcolm Austin Jordan Dawson Victor Tyler
πŸ‘§ Sister Suggestions
Samantha Allison Selena Alexandra Jasmine Autumn Summer Bailey Molly Ana

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