Cato
Boy name · #2798 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Cato? In official American birth records, Cato has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 45 baby boys were named Cato, placing it at #2798 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #4295, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 40,000 boys born in 2025 was named Cato.
The 145-year story
Cato first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 6 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 45 babies and a rank of #2798. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Cato per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Cato against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Cato in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Cato is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Cato will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Cato is most common
State-level data for Cato is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Cato
Statistically, parents drawn to Cato tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Kato, Mako, Ario, Zeno, and Echo.
KatoMakoArioZenoEchoKaitoCaioAkio
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Cato | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 45 | #2798 |
| 2024 | 40 | #3045 |
| 2023 | 23 | #4456 |
| 2022 | 38 | #3151 |
| 2021 | 37 | #3180 |
| 2020 | 34 | #3274 |
| 2019 | 27 | #3899 |
| 2018 | 32 | #3446 |
| 2017 | 21 | #4594 |
| 2016 | 18 | #5124 |
| 2015 | 23 | #4295 |
| 2014 | 19 | #4866 |
| 2013 | 15 | #5659 |
| 2012 | 13 | #6306 |
| 2011 | 8 | #8767 |
| 2010 | 14 | #6036 |
| 2009 | 9 | #8310 |
| 2008 | 5 | #12553 |
| 2007 | 6 | #10921 |
| 2006 | 10 | #7427 |
| 2004 | 9 | #7536 |
| 2003 | 7 | #8643 |
| 2002 | 7 | #8456 |
| 2000 | 5 | #10349 |
| 1995 | 6 | #7792 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Cato?
In official American birth records, the name Cato first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 6 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Cato a popular boy name?
Cato ranked #2798 among boys in 2025 with 45 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #4295.
When was the name Cato most popular?
Cato peaked in 2025, when 45 American boys received the name (ranked #2798 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Cato?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 40,000 newborn American boys was named Cato. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.