Kathy is a girl name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Kathy means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Kathy across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Kathy has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Kathy is a girl name of Greek origin meaning “pure”. A pet form of Katherine, from Greek katharos.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 334,870 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 111 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 3 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 327 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Kathy per year, United States (1910 to 2025). United States peaked in 1958 (23,983/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1982 (18/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 1997 (14/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 1997 (3/yr).
Kathy has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1958, when it ranked #35 nationally (given to 23,983 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1950s.
Cathy · Kathie · Kathi · Cathie · Cathey · Cathi · Kathey · Kathe
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