Katherine

#186 for girls in 2025, 1,670 births · Last seen for boys in 2015 at #8,040
Given to girls 99.7% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · girls
1991 · 11,495 births
Debut · girls
502 births
In top 100 · girls
132 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · girls
650,926
since 1880

Katherine over time

girls

Rank among girls' names. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100rank188019001920194019601980200020201949peak #25, 1991girls
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#1861,670—
2024#1751,746—
2023#1701,705—
2022#1661,742—
2021#1571,821—
2020#1361,991—
2019#1202,450—
2018#1122,677—
2017#1052,861—
2016#913,276—
2015#843,454#8,0409
2014#823,691#9,6427
2013#773,723—
2012#643,953—
2011#614,189#12,2875
2010#703,870—
2009#604,432#12,4915
2008#455,350#11,0376
2007#395,818#9,7887
2006#376,295#10,6626
2005#366,392#5,57814
2004#356,742#3,07432
2003#357,126#6,71510
2002#367,212#5,72512
2001#357,880#5,14214
2000#338,109#5,29713
1999#367,935#7,8747
1998#338,207#4,87313
1997#328,518#5,28811
1996#318,877#4,39614
1995#308,987#4,50813
1994#309,586#3,46919
1993#2910,506#3,36819
1992#2711,149#3,22020
1991#2511,495#3,10520
1990#2611,625#2,21432
1989#2611,415#1,08294
1988#2711,154#1,67142
1987#2810,438#1,58744
1986#2810,570#1,51144
1985#3210,128#1,61439
1984#3010,157#1,36548
1983#349,684#1,71133
1982#369,179#1,41545
1981#398,433#1,81131
1980#358,017#1,85230
1979#367,464#1,59836
1978#386,625#1,91326
1977#446,030#2,27020
1976#575,051#2,60116
1975#584,851#2,36118
1974#624,530#2,35817
1973#644,420#2,85712
1972#694,514#2,81912
1971#675,120#1,59730
1970#675,443#2,29316
1969#705,167#2,13016
1968#754,716#2,57611
1967#764,560#2,13914
1966#784,492#1,81418
1965#794,706#2,61710
1964#825,074#1,97517
1963#875,124#1,90218
1962#835,272#2,8489
1961#865,632#1,87619
1960#815,876#1,65824
1959#796,139#2,20014
1958#746,433#1,95317
1957#726,637#1,95217
1956#677,082#1,72221
1955#657,239#2,04815
1954#646,740#1,95616
1953#636,559#2,18613
1952#596,891#1,85617
1951#556,930#2,8448
1950#586,205#2,5809
1949#596,039#1,70219
1948#685,169#2,44310
1947#764,884#1,73319
1946#784,197#3,5255
1945#823,393#2,00912
1944#773,525#1,98813
1943#783,616#1,98614
1942#813,376#2,04213
1941#853,004#1,82115
1940#912,709#2,32210
1939#1012,476#1,95813
1938#1052,575#2,8687
1937#1032,484#1,91314
1936#1002,355#1,96413
1935#1032,340#1,92914
1934#1012,388#1,86015
1933#1002,330#1,90514
1932#952,588#1,99514
1931#912,624#2,10113
1930#853,033#1,55922
1929#843,016#2,19913
1928#753,398#1,76019
1927#733,724#1,87118
1926#723,834#1,78719
1925#614,240#2,31313
1924#594,695#1,89418
1923#604,579#1,55124
1922#544,827#2,34713
1921#495,156#2,50212
1920#455,276#1,96617
1919#514,846#2,51111
1918#505,191#2,39812
1917#494,956#2,09114
1916#514,801#2,15213
1915#494,488#2,8298
1914#483,652#2,4578
1913#542,794#1,80310
1912#532,546—
1911#551,858#1,7405
1910#571,752—
1909#531,557#1,0838
1908#551,430—
1907#551,413#1,3455
1906#561,277—
1905#631,190—
1904#631,128#72311
1903#661,015#1,1305
1902#681,004#1,1375
1901#71890—
1900#651,201—
1899#65942—
1898#69914—
1897#65962—
1896#611,047—
1895#65968—
1894#64948—
1893#62963—
1892#60961—
1891#62803#9635
1890#59900—
1889#56889—
1888#56893—
1887#53794—
1886#54744—
1885#50751—
1884#55671—
1883#56583—
1882#52591—
1881#52504—
1880#53502#9095
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, Katherine was already there! It came in at #53, and was given to 502 baby girls.


Quietest stretch: 1880–1886, when fewer than 760 girls a year got the name.

Where Katherine is popular in 1949

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #29 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 104 girlsAKMaine: #50 for girls · 49 births · 1 in 186 girlsMEVermont: #57 for girls · 17 births · 1 in 208 girlsVTNew Hampshire: #70 for girls · 20 births · 1 in 249 girlsNHWashington: #37 for girls · 151 births · 1 in 166 girlsWAIdaho: #35 for girls · 42 births · 1 in 146 girlsIDMontana: #93 for girls · 18 births · 1 in 338 girlsMTNorth Dakota: #38 for girls · 42 births · 1 in 159 girlsNDMinnesota: #36 for girls · 184 births · 1 in 177 girlsMNIllinois: #57 for girls · 333 births · 1 in 258 girlsILWisconsin: #44 for girls · 189 births · 1 in 195 girlsWIMichigan: #58 for girls · 279 births · 1 in 253 girlsMINew York: #69 for girls · 492 births · 1 in 288 girlsNYMassachusetts: #50 for girls · 223 births · 1 in 201 girlsMARhode Island: #55 for girls · 32 births · 1 in 227 girlsRIOregon: #52 for girls · 64 births · 1 in 235 girlsORNevada: #41 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 124 girlsNVWyoming: #36 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 121 girlsWYSouth Dakota: #68 for girls · 27 births · 1 in 261 girlsSDIowa: #65 for girls · 92 births · 1 in 297 girlsIAIndiana: #74 for girls · 124 births · 1 in 339 girlsINOhio: #76 for girls · 250 births · 1 in 347 girlsOHPennsylvania: #90 for girls · 265 births · 1 in 388 girlsPANew Jersey: #71 for girls · 143 births · 1 in 297 girlsNJConnecticut: #44 for girls · 93 births · 1 in 186 girlsCTCalifornia: #43 for girls · 536 births · 1 in 211 girlsCAUtah: #55 for girls · 37 births · 1 in 222 girlsUTColorado: #39 for girls · 88 births · 1 in 162 girlsCONebraska: #43 for girls · 73 births · 1 in 184 girlsNEMissouri: #59 for girls · 147 births · 1 in 264 girlsMOKentucky: #71 for girls · 97 births · 1 in 351 girlsKYWest Virginia: #87 for girls · 55 births · 1 in 434 girlsWVVirginia: #52 for girls · 153 births · 1 in 234 girlsVAMaryland: #56 for girls · 92 births · 1 in 244 girlsMDDelaware: #72 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 292 girlsDEArizona: #59 for girls · 40 births · 1 in 223 girlsAZNew Mexico: #77 for girls · 31 births · 1 in 280 girlsNMKansas: #52 for girls · 84 births · 1 in 214 girlsKSArkansas: #61 for girls · 74 births · 1 in 302 girlsARTennessee: #67 for girls · 117 births · 1 in 322 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #70 for girls · 149 births · 1 in 329 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #91 for girls · 78 births · 1 in 357 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: #50 for girls · 55 births · 1 in 209 girlsDCOklahoma: #80 for girls · 55 births · 1 in 391 girlsOKLouisiana: #46 for girls · 162 births · 1 in 207 girlsLAMississippi: #55 for girls · 120 births · 1 in 243 girlsMSAlabama: #88 for girls · 91 births · 1 in 411 girlsALGeorgia: #97 for girls · 102 births · 1 in 418 girlsGAHawaii: #43 for girls · 31 births · 1 in 170 girlsHITexas: #68 for girls · 293 births · 1 in 323 girlsTXFlorida: #60 for girls · 100 births · 1 in 269 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Alaska#29 · 1 in 104
  2. Idaho#35 · 1 in 146
  3. Wyoming#36 · 1 in 121
  4. Minnesota#36 · 1 in 177
  5. Washington#37 · 1 in 166

Best ever in a state: #1 in District of Columbia, 2006.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Alaska#29101 in 104
Idaho#35421 in 146
Minnesota#361841 in 177
Wyoming#36211 in 121
Washington#371511 in 166
North Dakota#38421 in 159
Colorado#39881 in 162
Nevada#4191 in 124
California#435361 in 211
Hawaii#43311 in 170
Nebraska#43731 in 184
Connecticut#44931 in 186
Wisconsin#441891 in 195
Louisiana#461621 in 207
District of Columbia#50551 in 209
Maine#50491 in 186
Massachusetts#502231 in 201
Kansas#52841 in 214
Oregon#52641 in 235
Virginia#521531 in 234
Mississippi#551201 in 243
Rhode Island#55321 in 227
Utah#55371 in 222
Maryland#56921 in 244
Illinois#573331 in 258
Vermont#57171 in 208
Michigan#582791 in 253
Arizona#59401 in 223
Missouri#591471 in 264
Florida#601001 in 269
Arkansas#61741 in 302
Iowa#65921 in 297
Tennessee#671171 in 322
South Dakota#68271 in 261
Texas#682931 in 323
New York#694921 in 288
New Hampshire#70201 in 249
North Carolina#701491 in 329
Kentucky#71971 in 351
New Jersey#711431 in 297
Delaware#72101 in 292
Indiana#741241 in 339
Ohio#762501 in 347
New Mexico#77311 in 280
Oklahoma#80551 in 391
West Virginia#87551 in 434
Alabama#88911 in 411
Pennsylvania#902651 in 388
South Carolina#91781 in 357
Montana#93181 in 338
Georgia#971021 in 418

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the girls born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Katherine
Momentum · girls
Falling
  • 11 spots since 2024 (#175 → #186)
  • 50 spots since 2020 (#136 → #186)
  • 102 spots since 2015 (#84 → #186)
  • Biggest jump: 13 spots in 1977 (#57 → #44)
  • Biggest drop: 21 spots in 2021 (#136 → #157)
Rise & fade · girls
111 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 1991 at #25 (11,495 births)
  • Births halved by 2008, 17 yrs later
Top of the charts · girls
Top 100 for 132 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: 132 yrs · run 1940–2016
  • Top 1,000: 146 yrs · run 1880–2025
Share of babies · girls
1 in 160
  • Highest: 1 in 160 girls born in 1988 were named Katherine (0.63%)
  • Latest: 1 in 962 girls born in 2025 (0.10%)
  • Its best rank, #25 in 1991, was only 1 in 163 (0.61%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
Era · girls
The 1980s
  • 15.2% of all girls named Katherine (99,175) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s6,922#50 (1885)#54
1890s9,408#59 (1890)#63
1900s12,105#53 (1909)#62
1910s36,884#48 (1914)#52
1920s42,745#45 (1920)#63
1930s25,193#85 (1930)#98
1940s39,912#59 (1949)#78
1950s66,855#55 (1951)#66
1960s50,619#70 (1969)#80
1970s54,048#36 (1979)#56
1980s99,175#26 (1989)#32
1990s96,885#25 (1991)#30
2000s65,356#33 (2000)#39
2010s34,144#61 (2011)#87
2020s10,675#136 (2020)#165

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 girls in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Katherine in 1949

girls
#59
6,039 births · 1 in 283 girls
boys
#1,702
19 births · 1 in 93,365 boys

Top girls' names in 1949

  1. #1Linda91,015
  2. #2Mary66,874
  3. #3Patricia46,324
  4. #4Barbara42,600
  5. #5Susan37,709
  6. #6Sandra30,643
  7. #7Nancy29,249
  8. #8Carol26,780
  9. #9Kathleen26,357
  10. #10Sharon25,713
  11. #59Katherine6,039

Top boys' names in 1949

  1. #1James86,858
  2. #2Robert83,873
  3. #3John81,178
  4. #4William61,506
  5. #5Michael60,047
  6. #6David59,611
  7. #7Richard50,946
  8. #8Thomas45,192
  9. #9Charles40,052
  10. #10Larry31,819
  11. #1,702Katherine19
More about 1949

girls

1,710,877 girls got a published name in 1949; 1 in 283 of them was named Katherine, which outranked 99.0% of the 6,066 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 24.7% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Katherine
  1. #56Wanda6,307
  2. #57Elaine6,214
  3. #58Jacqueline6,040
  4. #59Katherine6,039
  5. #60Jo5,802
  6. #61Joanne5,746
  7. #62Suzanne5,609
Biggest movers since 1948
Risers
  1. ↑ 937Sharman#1,708 → #771
  2. ↑ 665Roseanna#1,422 → #757
  3. ↑ 483Shauna#1,173 → #690
  4. ↑ 293Jacalyn#1,116 → #823
  5. ↑ 267Sanjuana#1,185 → #918
Fallers
  1. ↓ 339Sandie#939 → #1,278
  2. ↓ 296Syble#955 → #1,251
  3. ↓ 272Shirleen#964 → #1,236
  4. ↓ 266Ginny#734 → #1,000
  5. ↓ 260Dina#861 → #1,121

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

1,773,939 boys got a published name in 1949; 1 in 93,365 of them was named Katherine, which outranked 59.5% of the 4,205 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.9% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Katherine
  1. #1,667Sumner20
  2. #1,667Urban20
  3. #1,667Vivian20
  4. #1,702Katherine19
  5. #1,702Adelbert19
  6. #1,702Allie19
  7. #1,702Alpha19
  8. #1,754Adrien18
  9. #1,754Albino18
  10. #1,754Anson18

Tied with 51 names at #1,702; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1948
Risers
  1. ↑ 538Lannie#1,107 → #569
  2. ↑ 411Lenwood#1,296 → #885
  3. ↑ 338Robby#1,296 → #958
  4. ↑ 326Ocie#1,323 → #997
  5. ↑ 319Denzil#1,127 → #808
Fallers
  1. ↓ 473Loyal#989 → #1,462
  2. ↓ 446Rich#963 → #1,409
  3. ↓ 395Brock#733 → #1,128
  4. ↓ 376Baron#972 → #1,348
  5. ↓ 333Murry#989 → #1,322

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1949 →