Catherine
Borrowed from French Catherine, from Ancient Greek Αἰκατερίνη (Aikaterínē), *Ἑκατερίνη (*Hekaterínē), of debated meaning, possibly from ἑκάτερος (hekáteros, “each of the…
Every Catherine since 1880 — 669,611 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Catherine
Catherine is moderately common for girls in the United States, ranked #314 in 2025 with 972 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 669,611 American babies have been named Catherine. Its peak came in 1956, when 12,075 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Catherine stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Catherine year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 972 | #314 | — | — |
| 2024 | 956 | #324 | — | — |
| 2023 | 933 | #331 | — | — |
| 2022 | 981 | #328 | — | — |
| 2021 | 1,005 | #323 | — | — |
| 2020 | 1,155 | #267 | — | — |
| 2019 | 1,312 | #241 | — | — |
| 2018 | 1,507 | #205 | — | — |
| 2017 | 1,584 | #198 | — | — |
| 2016 | 1,669 | #195 | — | — |
| 2015 | 1,807 | #177 | — | — |
| 2014 | 1,945 | #170 | — | — |
| 2013 | 1,868 | #170 | — | — |
| 2012 | 1,913 | #165 | — | — |
| 2011 | 1,937 | #161 | — | — |
| 2010 | 1,612 | #194 | — | — |
| 2009 | 1,892 | #176 | — | — |
| 2008 | 2,323 | #148 | — | — |
| 2007 | 2,472 | #142 | 5 | #12,669 |
| 2006 | 2,793 | #121 | — | — |
| 2005 | 2,985 | #109 | 8 | #8,418 |
| 2004 | 3,181 | #103 | 11 | #6,588 |
| 2003 | 3,231 | #106 | — | — |
| 2002 | 3,292 | #101 | 10 | #6,605 |
| 2001 | 3,731 | #81 | — | — |
| 2000 | 3,802 | #81 | — | — |
| 1995 | 3,860 | #90 | 11 | #5,180 |
| 1990 | 4,894 | #71 | 23 | #2,791 |
| 1985 | 4,297 | #65 | 12 | #3,624 |
| 1980 | 4,080 | #77 | 16 | #2,849 |
| 1975 | 3,936 | #73 | 11 | #3,276 |
| 1970 | 6,004 | #59 | 20 | #2,002 |
| 1965 | 7,243 | #57 | 27 | #1,488 |
| 1960 | 9,536 | #42 | 24 | #1,662 |
| 1955 | 11,636 | #28 | 24 | #1,575 |
| 1950 | 9,655 | #34 | 18 | #1,754 |
| 1945 | 5,031 | #50 | 18 | #1,589 |
| 1940 | 4,584 | #53 | 17 | #1,689 |
| 1935 | 4,698 | #42 | 18 | #1,665 |
| 1930 | 6,299 | #35 | 32 | #1,261 |
| 1925 | 7,867 | #29 | 19 | #1,815 |
| 1920 | 8,878 | #21 | 19 | #1,830 |
| 1915 | 8,181 | #19 | 15 | #1,890 |
| 1910 | 3,161 | #22 | 10 | #1,055 |
| 1905 | 2,198 | #28 | — | — |
| 1900 | 2,081 | #34 | 5 | #1,348 |
| 1895 | 1,514 | #38 | — | — |
| 1890 | 1,232 | #44 | — | — |
| 1885 | 846 | #45 | — | — |
| 1880 | 688 | #31 | — | — |
Famous people named Catherine
- Catherine the Great Nobleman · 1762–1796
- Catherine de' Medici Companion · 1519–1589
- Catherine of Aragon Companion · 1485–1536
- Catherine I of Russia Politician · 1684–1727
- Catherine of Alexandria Religious figure · 287–305
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Catherine mean?
Borrowed from French Catherine, from Ancient Greek Αἰκατερίνη (Aikaterínē), *Ἑκατερίνη (*Hekaterínē), of debated meaning, possibly from ἑκάτερος (hekáteros, “each of the two”), or from the name of the goddess Hecate.
How popular is the name Catherine in 2025?
Catherine ranked #314 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 972 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Catherine?
669,611 babies have been named Catherine in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Catherine most popular?
Catherine peaked in 1956, when 12,075 newborns received the name.
Is Catherine a boy or girl name?
Catherine is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Catherine rising or falling?
Catherine is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Catherine?
Well-known people named Catherine include Catherine the Great (nobleman), Catherine de' Medici (companion), Catherine of Aragon (companion).