Kathy
First Name Meaning, Usage, Popularity & Related Names
Kathy is a Greek name meaning “pure”. It is a common name, overwhelmingly used for girls, with 99.99% female usage.
Meaning & Origin of the name Kathy
Kathy is a name of Greek origin, traditionally interpreted as meaning pure. It exists primarily as a diminutive form of the name Katherine, which is believed to derive from the Greek term katharos. The name has achieved long-standing usage as an independent identifier, mirroring the widespread cultural reverence for the historical Saint Catherine of Alexandria.
Meaning Comments
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Gender Usage of the Name Kathy
Overall Gender Classification Methodology
Kathy is overwhelmingly used as a name for girls. Approximately 99.99% of recorded bearers are female. This classification is supported by extensive records and is considered highly reliable.
Popularity of the Name Kathy
Note: Green bars show popularity (% of births); the violet line shows historical ranking. Data is based on official government birth records. Click any chart to view details by year and region.
Overall PopularityMethodology
Kathy is listed under Common Girl Names worldwide. Its popularity is relatively consistent across the available regional markets.
| Region | Popularity | Birth Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Common | 1 in every 21K births |
| United Kingdom | Common | 1 in every 10K births |
| Canada | Popular | 1 in every 19K births |
| Australia | Common | 1 in every 288K births |
Ranking OverviewMethodology
Kathy ranked #6,887 on the Popular Girls’ Names Worldwide List (2025). It fell from #3,410 in 2024 — a drop of 3,477 places. Kathy shows meaningful recent movement in rank, though it remains uncommon overall.
Historically, its best recorded position was #48 in 1958. Its lowest recorded position was #6,887 in 2025. Over the last 5 years (2020–2025) the name fell -4203 places (from #2,684 to #6,887).
Name StyleMethodology
Kathy is classified as Classic Girl Names because it appears in 84% of available years and remains active today, averaging 35 births per year after a historical peak in 1958.Explain More
Although the name also meets the Retro criteria, the Classic pattern is more strongly supported: activity across 84% of available years and continued recent use at 35 births per year. The competing Retro pattern is supported by a 0.15% historical-peak retention level with no material recent rebound, giving the selected Style an evidence margin of 15 percentage points.
Characteristics of the Name Kathy
Pronunciation & StructureMethodology
- Phonetic Source
- CMU
- Syllables
- 2 syllables — Two-Syllable Girl Names
- Length
- 5 letters — Medium-Length Girl Names
- Starts with
- K — Girl Names Starting with K
- Ends with
- y — Girl Names Ending in “y”
Name AestheticMethodology
Kathy is a two-syllable name that relies on trochaic stress to achieve a Cute & Playful aesthetic. By functioning as a diminutive, it carries an inherent sense of approachability and informality. Its phonetic tokens are simple and allow for immediate recognition.
Middle Names For Kathy
Middle names used with KathyMethodology
Kathy is most frequently used with these girl middle names: Kathy Ann · Kathy Lynn · Kathy Marie · Kathy Sue · Kathy JeanView all 2,158 girl middle names.
- Total 2,939 middle names used with Kathy
- 148 boy middle names used with Kathy
- 564 unisex middle names used with Kathy
Middle name suggestions for KathyMethodology
Based on observed first-middle-name pattern combinations, Kathy is most frequently associated with girl middle names that have Strong stress pattern, 5 letters, and a starting sound of “l”.
Examples: Kathy Leigh · Kathy Lynne · Kathy Lynch · Kathy Laine · Kathy Leach. View all 82 suggested middle names.
Names Similar to Kathy
Sound Like Kathy Finder
Names with the exact same overall pronunciation and sound: Cathy · Kathie · Kathi · View all 19 names
Spelled Like Kathy Finder
Names with similar spelling patterns and letter sequences: Kathey · Kathya · Kathye · View all 6 names
Same Starting Sound Finder
Names that begin with a similar phonetic sound: Karen · Kimberly · Carol · View all Top 100 names
Rhymes With Kathy Finder
Names that share similar ending sounds and rhymes: Mary · Dorothy · Emily · View all Top 100 names
Same Rhythm & Syllables Finder
Names with matching syllable stress and pronunciation rhythm: Mary · Linda · Sarah · View all Top 100 names
Dictionary & Etymology of “Kathy”
Dictionary Meaning of "Kathy"Methodology
A diminutive of the female given names Katherine or Kathleen, also used as a formal given name
Examples
- During her childhood she was a romanticized Katherine, dressed by her misty-eyed, fussy mother in dresses that looked like ruffled pillowcases. By high school she'd shed the frills and emerged as a bouncy, round-faced Kathy […] At university she was Kath, blunt and no-bullshit in her Take-Back-the-Night jeans and checked shirt […] When she ran away to England, she sliced herself down to Kat. It was economical, street-feline, and pointed as a nail.
Alternative Forms
More Info
How to Spell Kathy in ASL
- K
- a
- t
- h
- y
Comments on the name Kathy
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