Cato
From Latin Cato. A cognomen made particularly famous by Cato the Elder and Younger, members of the gens Porcia.
Every Cato since 1880 — 675 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Cato
Cato is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #2,804 in 2025 with 45 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 675 American babies have been named Cato. Its peak came in 2025, when 45 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
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 Cato stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Cato year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 45 | #2,804 |
| 2024 | 40 | #3,057 |
| 2023 | 23 | #4,480 |
| 2022 | 38 | #3,165 |
| 2021 | 37 | #3,191 |
| 2020 | 34 | #3,280 |
| 2019 | 27 | #3,909 |
| 2018 | 32 | #3,461 |
| 2017 | 21 | #4,620 |
| 2016 | 18 | #5,168 |
| 2015 | 23 | #4,314 |
| 2014 | 19 | #4,909 |
| 2013 | 15 | #5,708 |
| 2012 | 13 | #6,373 |
| 2011 | 8 | #8,889 |
| 2010 | 14 | #6,092 |
| 2009 | 9 | #8,412 |
| 2008 | 5 | #12,836 |
| 2007 | 6 | #11,141 |
| 2006 | 10 | #7,516 |
| 2005 | — | — |
| 2004 | 9 | #7,621 |
| 2003 | 7 | #8,803 |
| 2002 | 7 | #8,591 |
| 2001 | — | — |
| 2000 | 5 | #10,611 |
| 1995 | 6 | #7,948 |
| 1990 | — | — |
| 1985 | — | — |
| 1980 | 5 | #6,385 |
| 1975 | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — |
| 1950 | 5 | #3,770 |
| 1945 | 5 | #3,393 |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1925 | 6 | #3,809 |
| 1920 | 6 | #3,894 |
| 1915 | 5 | #3,911 |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | 6 | #830 |
Famous people named Cato
- Cato the Elder Writer · -243–-149
- Cato the Younger Politician · -95–-46
- Cato Maximilian Guldberg Mathematician · 1836–1902
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Cato mean?
From Latin Cato. A cognomen made particularly famous by Cato the Elder and Younger, members of the gens Porcia.
How popular is the name Cato in 2025?
Cato ranked #2,804 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 45 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Cato?
675 babies have been named Cato in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Cato most popular?
Cato peaked in 2025, when 45 newborns received the name.
Is Cato a boy or girl name?
Cato is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Cato rising or falling?
Cato is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Cato?
Well-known people named Cato include Cato the Elder (writer), Cato the Younger (politician), Cato Maximilian Guldberg (mathematician).