Cate
A diminutive of the female given name Catherine.
Every Cate since 1980 — 1,789 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Cate
Cate is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #8,978 in 2025 with 11 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1980, 1,789 American babies have been named Cate. Its peak came in 2008, when 152 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2000s.
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 Cate stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Cate year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 11 | #8,978 |
| 2024 | 26 | #5,046 |
| 2023 | 17 | #6,726 |
| 2022 | 25 | #5,197 |
| 2021 | 23 | #5,429 |
| 2020 | 18 | #6,380 |
| 2019 | 30 | #4,563 |
| 2018 | 47 | #3,357 |
| 2017 | 39 | #3,860 |
| 2016 | 38 | #3,939 |
| 2015 | 59 | #2,938 |
| 2014 | 61 | #2,815 |
| 2013 | 61 | #2,813 |
| 2012 | 88 | #2,151 |
| 2011 | 95 | #2,045 |
| 2010 | 80 | #2,367 |
| 2009 | 115 | #1,851 |
| 2008 | 152 | #1,529 |
| 2007 | 118 | #1,808 |
| 2006 | 87 | #2,209 |
| 2005 | 118 | #1,681 |
| 2004 | 111 | #1,736 |
| 2003 | 82 | #2,128 |
| 2002 | 64 | #2,471 |
| 2001 | 41 | #3,324 |
| 2000 | 44 | #3,127 |
| 1995 | 8 | #9,723 |
| 1990 | — | — |
| 1985 | 8 | #7,663 |
| 1980 | 5 | #10,604 |
| 1975 | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Cate
- Cate Blanchett Actor · b. 1969
- Cate Shortland Film director · b. 1968
- Cate Campbell Swimmer · b. 1992
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Cate mean?
A diminutive of the female given name Catherine.
How popular is the name Cate in 2025?
Cate ranked #8,978 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 11 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Cate?
1,789 babies have been named Cate in the United States since 1980, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Cate most popular?
Cate peaked in 2008, when 152 newborns received the name.
Is Cate a boy or girl name?
Cate is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Cate rising or falling?
Cate is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Cate?
Well-known people named Cate include Cate Blanchett (actor), Cate Shortland (film director), Cate Campbell (swimmer).