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#100rank188019001920194019601980200020201972peak #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 1972

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #26 for girls · 19 births · 1 in 110 girlsAKMaine: #57 for girls · 28 births · 1 in 234 girlsMEVermont: #31 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 119 girlsVTNew Hampshire: #43 for girls · 26 births · 1 in 171 girlsNHWashington: #59 for girls · 74 births · 1 in 259 girlsWAIdaho: #113 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 431 girlsIDMontana: #68 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 259 girlsMTNorth Dakota: #102 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 360 girlsNDMinnesota: #74 for girls · 77 births · 1 in 313 girlsMNIllinois: #50 for girls · 283 births · 1 in 264 girlsILWisconsin: #70 for girls · 93 births · 1 in 296 girlsWIMichigan: #60 for girls · 223 births · 1 in 278 girlsMINew York: #67 for girls · 355 births · 1 in 312 girlsNYMassachusetts: #61 for girls · 156 births · 1 in 219 girlsMARhode Island: #74 for girls · 20 births · 1 in 260 girlsRIOregon: #68 for girls · 47 births · 1 in 269 girlsORNevada: #83 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 273 girlsNVWyoming: #46 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 158 girlsWYSouth Dakota: #90 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 319 girlsSDIowa: #111 for girls · 38 births · 1 in 459 girlsIAIndiana: #88 for girls · 95 births · 1 in 390 girlsINOhio: #79 for girls · 206 births · 1 in 361 girlsOHPennsylvania: #106 for girls · 150 births · 1 in 481 girlsPANew Jersey: #66 for girls · 144 births · 1 in 283 girlsNJConnecticut: #64 for girls · 68 births · 1 in 233 girlsCTCalifornia: #56 for girls · 467 births · 1 in 294 girlsCAUtah: #98 for girls · 27 births · 1 in 390 girlsUTColorado: #59 for girls · 61 births · 1 in 258 girlsCONebraska: #81 for girls · 30 births · 1 in 312 girlsNEMissouri: #61 for girls · 116 births · 1 in 270 girlsMOKentucky: #67 for girls · 82 births · 1 in 290 girlsKYWest Virginia: #76 for girls · 36 births · 1 in 339 girlsWVVirginia: #47 for girls · 151 births · 1 in 196 girlsVAMaryland: #52 for girls · 91 births · 1 in 226 girlsMDDelaware: #65 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 236 girlsDEArizona: #76 for girls · 43 births · 1 in 337 girlsAZNew Mexico: #82 for girls · 23 births · 1 in 332 girlsNMKansas: #73 for girls · 40 births · 1 in 308 girlsKSArkansas: #120 for girls · 27 births · 1 in 485 girlsARTennessee: #62 for girls · 103 births · 1 in 275 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #73 for girls · 109 births · 1 in 337 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #57 for girls · 81 births · 1 in 237 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: #43 for girls · 42 births · 1 in 176 girlsDCOklahoma: #95 for girls · 42 births · 1 in 388 girlsOKLouisiana: #81 for girls · 75 births · 1 in 354 girlsLAMississippi: #89 for girls · 49 births · 1 in 354 girlsMSAlabama: #63 for girls · 87 births · 1 in 278 girlsALGeorgia: #82 for girls · 107 births · 1 in 336 girlsGAHawaii: #55 for girls · 19 births · 1 in 234 girlsHITexas: #80 for girls · 267 births · 1 in 361 girlsTXFlorida: #74 for girls · 133 births · 1 in 334 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Alaska#26 · 1 in 110
  2. Vermont#31 · 1 in 119
  3. New Hampshire#43 · 1 in 171
  4. District of Columbia#43 · 1 in 176
  5. Wyoming#46 · 1 in 158

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Alaska#26191 in 110
Vermont#31211 in 119
District of Columbia#43421 in 176
New Hampshire#43261 in 171
Wyoming#46111 in 158
Virginia#471511 in 196
Illinois#502831 in 264
Maryland#52911 in 226
Hawaii#55191 in 234
California#564671 in 294
Maine#57281 in 234
South Carolina#57811 in 237
Colorado#59611 in 258
Washington#59741 in 259
Michigan#602231 in 278
Massachusetts#611561 in 219
Missouri#611161 in 270
Tennessee#621031 in 275
Alabama#63871 in 278
Connecticut#64681 in 233
Delaware#65131 in 236
New Jersey#661441 in 283
Kentucky#67821 in 290
New York#673551 in 312
Montana#68151 in 259
Oregon#68471 in 269
Wisconsin#70931 in 296
Kansas#73401 in 308
North Carolina#731091 in 337
Florida#741331 in 334
Minnesota#74771 in 313
Rhode Island#74201 in 260
Arizona#76431 in 337
West Virginia#76361 in 339
Ohio#792061 in 361
Texas#802671 in 361
Louisiana#81751 in 354
Nebraska#81301 in 312
Georgia#821071 in 336
New Mexico#82231 in 332
Nevada#83101 in 273
Indiana#88951 in 390
Mississippi#89491 in 354
South Dakota#90121 in 319
Oklahoma#95421 in 388
Utah#98271 in 390
North Dakota#102111 in 360
Pennsylvania#1061501 in 481
Iowa#111381 in 459
Idaho#113111 in 431
Arkansas#120271 in 485

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 1972

girls
#69
4,514 births · 1 in 337 girls
boys
#2,819
12 births · 1 in 135,134 boys

Top girls' names in 1972

  1. #1Jennifer63,600
  2. #2Michelle29,285
  3. #3Lisa27,543
  4. #4Kimberly26,282
  5. #5Amy25,873
  6. #6Angela23,561
  7. #7Melissa22,494
  8. #8Stephanie16,890
  9. #9Heather16,320
  10. #10Nicole15,755
  11. #69Katherine4,514

Top boys' names in 1972

  1. #1Michael71,393
  2. #2Christopher52,172
  3. #3James47,063
  4. #4David46,322
  5. #5John43,158
  6. #6Robert43,013
  7. #7Jason37,423
  8. #8Brian36,306
  9. #9William30,510
  10. #10Matthew22,928
  11. #2,819Katherine12
More about 1972

girls

1,521,244 girls got a published name in 1972; 1 in 337 of them was named Katherine, which outranked 99.3% of the 9,666 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 17.6% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Katherine
  1. #66Debra4,666
  2. #67Kristin4,586
  3. #68Theresa4,569
  4. #69Katherine4,514
  5. #70Sherry4,447
  6. #71Holly4,376
  7. #72Paula4,260
Biggest movers since 1971
Risers
  1. ↑ 5,804Camisha#6,619 → #815
  2. ↑ 3,921Catina#4,123 → #202
  3. ↑ 1,842Cherilyn#2,665 → #823
  4. ↑ 1,789Chasity#2,542 → #753
  5. ↑ 1,694Keena#2,542 → #848
Fallers
  1. ↓ 517Shayla#836 → #1,353
  2. ↓ 428Raina#798 → #1,226
  3. ↓ 280Kendall#742 → #1,022
  4. ↓ 275Alycia#951 → #1,226
  5. ↓ 255Charisse#727 → #982

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

boys

1,621,608 boys got a published name in 1972; 1 in 135,134 of them was named Katherine, which outranked 51.0% of the 5,751 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 26.5% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Katherine
  1. #2,659Waymond13
  2. #2,659Wynn13
  3. #2,659Yul13
  4. #2,819Katherine12
  5. #2,819Adams12
  6. #2,819Addam12
  7. #2,819Adriano12
  8. #2,991Able11
  9. #2,991Aldon11
  10. #2,991Alistair11

Tied with 171 names at #2,819; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1971
Risers
  1. ↑ 2,755Demond#3,146 → #391
  2. ↑ 1,286Cade#2,279 → #993
  3. ↑ 905Vidal#1,526 → #621
  4. ↑ 855Damond#1,784 → #929
  5. ↑ 849Kareem#1,254 → #405
Fallers
  1. ↓ 413Rich#914 → #1,327
  2. ↓ 401Monroe#947 → #1,348
  3. ↓ 317Laura#990 → #1,307
  4. ↓ 309Von#976 → #1,285
  5. ↓ 309Westley#998 → #1,307

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

See the top 100 for 1972 →