Cathy
A diminutive of the female given name Catherine and of its variant forms, also used as a formal given name in the 20th century.
Every Cathy since 1918 — 170,646 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Cathy
Cathy is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #8,463 in 2025 with 12 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1918, 170,646 American babies have been named Cathy. Its peak came in 1958, when 10,961 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 Cathy stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Cathy 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 | 12 | #8,463 | — | — |
| 2024 | 20 | #5,990 | — | — |
| 2023 | 25 | #5,156 | — | — |
| 2022 | 20 | #6,040 | — | — |
| 2021 | 22 | #5,604 | — | — |
| 2020 | 32 | #4,286 | — | — |
| 2019 | 30 | #4,564 | — | — |
| 2018 | 44 | #3,516 | — | — |
| 2017 | 31 | #4,499 | — | — |
| 2016 | 53 | #3,111 | — | — |
| 2015 | 64 | #2,749 | — | — |
| 2014 | 48 | #3,338 | — | — |
| 2013 | 59 | #2,876 | — | — |
| 2012 | 56 | #3,015 | — | — |
| 2011 | 47 | #3,419 | — | — |
| 2010 | 52 | #3,166 | — | — |
| 2009 | 56 | #3,053 | — | — |
| 2008 | 61 | #2,894 | — | — |
| 2007 | 79 | #2,398 | — | — |
| 2006 | 88 | #2,190 | — | — |
| 2005 | 93 | #2,016 | — | — |
| 2004 | 104 | #1,823 | — | — |
| 2003 | 103 | #1,816 | — | — |
| 2002 | 93 | #1,900 | — | — |
| 2001 | 120 | #1,546 | — | — |
| 2000 | 119 | #1,527 | — | — |
| 1995 | 141 | #1,217 | — | — |
| 1990 | 209 | #916 | — | — |
| 1985 | 362 | #548 | — | — |
| 1980 | 567 | #402 | — | — |
| 1975 | 970 | #252 | — | — |
| 1970 | 2,586 | #137 | 11 | #2,917 |
| 1965 | 4,151 | #88 | 5 | #3,992 |
| 1960 | 9,130 | #46 | 21 | #1,779 |
| 1955 | 8,665 | #44 | 15 | #2,059 |
| 1950 | 5,031 | #75 | 10 | #2,457 |
| 1945 | 824 | #231 | 6 | #3,036 |
| 1940 | 195 | #496 | — | — |
| 1935 | 60 | #893 | — | — |
| 1930 | 25 | #1,579 | — | — |
| 1925 | 12 | #2,805 | — | — |
| 1920 | 5 | #5,101 | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Cathy
- Cathy Berberian Composer · 1925–1983
- Cathy O'Donnell Actor · 1923–1970
- Cathy Moriarty Actor · b. 1960
- Cathy Freeman Athlete · b. 1973
- Cathy Ferguson Swimmer · b. 1948
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Cathy mean?
A diminutive of the female given name Catherine and of its variant forms, also used as a formal given name in the 20th century.
How popular is the name Cathy in 2025?
Cathy ranked #8,463 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 12 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Cathy?
170,646 babies have been named Cathy in the United States since 1918, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Cathy most popular?
Cathy peaked in 1958, when 10,961 newborns received the name.
Is Cathy a boy or girl name?
Cathy is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Cathy rising or falling?
Cathy is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Cathy?
Well-known people named Cathy include Cathy Berberian (composer), Cathy O'Donnell (actor), Cathy Moriarty (actor).