Cathy Name: Complete Etymology, Meaning & Popularity Analysis
Summary
Cathy is an English name derived from Catherine, which has Greek roots meaning 'pure'. It evolved from various historical forms like Katharina and Katherine. The name is commonly associated with traits of warmth and friendliness. It has no biblical significance and gained popularity in the 20th century. Variants include Cat and Kate, and notable people with this name include Cathy Freeman and Cathy Guisewite.
The name Cathy is most popular in West Virginia, USA across all generations. It ranks highest as a Girl name among the Baby Boomers generation in the South region. Recent 3-year trends show this Boy name is maintaining steady popularity, while the 25-year trend indicates it has been relatively stable. Recent 3-year trends show this Girl name is maintaining steady popularity, while the 25-year trend indicates it has been relatively stable. From 2020-2022, Cathy has been stalled for female in MidWest, stalled for female in Northeast, stalled for female in South, falling for female in West. The long-term 25-year analysis reveals it has been stalled for female in MidWest, stalled for female in Northeast, stalled for female in South, stalled for female in West. Across generations, 'Cathy' has shown interesting popularity patterns: Among the Silent Generation (1928-1945), it ranked 6464th out of 6773 names. Among the Baby Boomers (1946-1964), it ranked 2177th out of 7552 names. Among the Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980), it ranked 4832nd out of 10718 names. Among the G.I. Generation (1901-1927), it ranked 3922nd out of 9107 names. Among the Silent Generation (1928-1945), it ranked 495th out of 9204 names. Among the Baby Boomers (1946-1964), it ranked 60th out of 12526 names. Among the Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980), it ranked 163rd out of 19264 names. Among the Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996), it ranked 726th out of 27321 names. Among the Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012), it ranked 2078th out of 35406 names. Among the Generation Alpha (2013-2024), it ranked 3987th out of 30306 names. Discover how the name 'Cathy' has evolved through American history with our comprehensive regional and generational analysis.
Etymology & Cultural Background of "Cathy"
Pronunciation
/ˈkæθi/
Origin
English
Etymology
Cathy is often considered a diminutive of Catherine, which comes from the Greek 'katharos' meaning 'pure'.
Meaning
pure
Language Evolution
Catherine, Katharina, Katherine
Historical Usage
The name Cathy gained popularity in the 20th century, particularly in English-speaking countries, as a common diminutive of Catherine.
Variants & Derivatives
Cathy, Cat, Kate
Modern Popularity & Image
Cathy is perceived as a friendly and approachable name, often associated with warmth and kindness.
Famous People
Cathy Freeman, Cathy Guisewite, Cathy O'Dowd
Explore More Cathy Name Visualizations
Historical Birth Statistics for the Name "Cathy"
Note: Years with identical rankings may represent different numbers of births. Data is sourced from Social Security card applications for births in the United States.
Yearly Ranking History of "Cathy"
"Cathy" Popularity Across American Generations
| Generation | Gender | Rank | Total Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) | Boy | 6464th of 6773 | 6 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) | Boy | 2177th of 7552 | 265 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) | Boy | 4832nd of 10718 | 72 |
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) | Girl | 3922nd of 9107 | 97 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) | Girl | 495th of 9204 | 3,712 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) | Girl | 60th of 12526 | 131,476 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) | Girl | 163rd of 19264 | 28,827 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) | Girl | 726th of 27321 | 4,287 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) | Girl | 2078th of 35406 | 1,444 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) | Girl | 3987th of 30306 | 448 |
Regional Popularity of "Cathy" by Generation for Male Names
| TOP(%) | MidWest | Northeast | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) |
- | - | - | - |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) |
- | - | - | - |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) |
- | - | - | - |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) |
- | - | - | - |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) |
- | - | - | - |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) |
- | - | - | - |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) |
- | - | - | - |
Regional Popularity of "Cathy" by Generation for Female Names
| TOP(%) | MidWest | Northeast | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) |
- |
100.00% 1379th/1379 |
- | - |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) |
25.49% 394th/1546 |
26.74% 416th/1556 |
26.48% 623rd/2353 |
19.20% 297th/1547 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) |
2.69% 60th/2227 |
3.37% 82nd/2430 |
1.65% 47th/2853 |
2.31% 64th/2775 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) |
5.58% 164th/2937 |
5.05% 176th/3483 |
4.21% 148th/3518 |
5.42% 219th/4044 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) |
21.87% 806th/3685 |
16.22% 726th/4475 |
14.40% 748th/5194 |
10.72% 677th/6317 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) |
61.55% 2820th/4582 |
35.07% 1811th/5164 |
34.38% 2514th/7313 |
19.44% 1451st/7463 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) |
- |
81.41% 3653rd/4487 |
82.50% 5628th/6822 |
28.54% 1791st/6276 |
State-by-State Popularity of "Cathy"
This map shows the relative popularity of "Cathy" across states, calculated by dividing the number of births with this name in each state by the total births in that state. This methodology provides a standardized measure of popularity regardless of state population size.