How Many People Are Named Catherine?
Complete statistics for the name Catherine: rarity score, gender breakdown, age distribution, historical popularity, worldwide data, meaning and origin.
Catherine, a name with Greek origins meaning 'pure', has been around for centuries but remains uncommon today. That's just 1 in 861 Americans who bear this classic female name, totaling about 383,213 people. With over 60% of those named Catherine being over 60, it's clear this name skews towards an older generation.
📖 Meaning & Origin
Life-path number 11 is often associated with spiritual insight and intuition, suggesting Catherine's journey is deeply connected to inner wisdom.
🌍 Worldwide Usage
⚥ Gender Distribution
📊 Births by Age Group
Avg Cohort Age: 74All 667,936 recorded US births for this name, grouped by the age those individuals would be today. Not adjusted for survival, so the number living today is lower (see the living estimate above).
📈 Popularity Over Time
Peak: 1956Annual US births from SSA records · Trend: Declining
🏆 Name Scorecard
Scores 0–100 based on statistical analysis of US and worldwide name frequency
📜 Catherine Through the Generations
Catherine peaked in popularity back in 1956 when there were 12,076 births, making it a staple of mid-century naming trends. Today, the name's presence is more subdued, with a significant portion of its bearers now in their senior years. Over 62,271 are under 30, 142,741 are between 30 and 60, and a whopping 462,924 are over 60, indicating a strong generational shift in the name's usage.
📍 State Distribution (Top 10)
⭐ Famous People Named Catherine
Katherine, also spelled Catherine and other variations, is a feminine given name. The name and its variants are popular in countries where large Christian populations exist, because of its associations with the early Christian saint Catherine of Alexandria.…
Full list on Wikipedia →🌿 Related Names by Origin
Other names sharing Catherine's Greek roots
📄 About the Name Catherine
How Many People Have the Name Catherine?
Based on Social Security Administration birth records and age-adjusted survival modeling, approximately 457 people in the United States currently share the name Catherine. That works out to roughly 1 in every 725,272 Americans, placing it in the Very Rare category.
Is Catherine a Common or Rare Name?
Catherine is classified as Very Rare. The rarity scale runs from Very Common (shared by millions) through Common, Uncommon, Rare, and Very Rare. Understanding where a name sits helps parents gauge uniqueness, genealogists narrow down records, and individuals settle debates about their own name's distinctiveness.
What Does the Name Catherine Mean?
Catherine means "pure" and comes from Greek origins. The name carries a life-path numerology number of 11.
Gender Breakdown
Of all recorded bearers of Catherine in SSA data, approximately 0% are male and 100% are female.
When Was Catherine Most Popular?
The name Catherine reached peak popularity in 1956, with 12,076 babies registered that year. Current trend: Declining.
How Is This Data Calculated?
All figures are statistical estimates, not exact government headcounts. The underlying data comes from the SSA National Baby Names dataset. Full methodology is explained on the methodology page.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How many people are named Catherine?
Approximately 457 people named Catherine live in the United States today. All-time US births on record total 457. That works out to roughly 1 in 725,272 Americans.
Is Catherine a rare name?
Catherine is classified as Very Rare in the United States. Approximately 1 in every 725,272 Americans has this name.
What does the name Catherine mean?
Catherine means "pure" and comes from Greek origins.
Is Catherine more male or female?
Based on SSA records, 0% of people named Catherine are male and 100% are female.
When was Catherine most popular?
Catherine peaked in 1956 with 12,076 births that year. Current trend: Declining.
How accurate are these statistics?
All figures are statistical estimates based on SSA birth records and age-adjusted modeling. See the methodology page for full details.