Katharine
Girl name · #4878 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Katharine? In official American birth records, Katharine has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Katharine ranks #4878 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 27 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #2138, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 66,667 girls born in 2025 was named Katharine.
Babies named Katharine per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Katharine first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 76 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1982, when 946 girls were named Katharine — good for #262 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Katharine against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Katharine in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Katharine is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Katharine will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Katharine is most common
State-level data for Katharine 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 Katharine
Statistically, parents drawn to Katharine tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Justine, Kristine, Candice, Kristin, and Arianne.
JustineKristineCandiceKristinArianneKimberleeCandaceAdrienne
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Katharine | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 27 | #4878 |
| 2024 | 28 | #4772 |
| 2023 | 34 | #4191 |
| 2022 | 42 | #3653 |
| 2021 | 31 | #4413 |
| 2020 | 45 | #3399 |
| 2019 | 66 | #2632 |
| 2018 | 56 | #2928 |
| 2017 | 73 | #2464 |
| 2016 | 62 | #2761 |
| 2015 | 89 | #2138 |
| 2014 | 89 | #2139 |
| 2013 | 109 | #1849 |
| 2012 | 110 | #1831 |
| 2011 | 134 | #1612 |
| 2010 | 127 | #1668 |
| 2009 | 160 | #1450 |
| 2008 | 191 | #1299 |
| 2007 | 256 | #1030 |
| 2006 | 293 | #905 |
| 2005 | 301 | #842 |
| 2004 | 323 | #789 |
| 2003 | 375 | #697 |
| 2002 | 286 | #808 |
| 2001 | 334 | #728 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Katharine?
In official American birth records, the name Katharine first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 76 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Katharine a popular girl name?
Katharine ranked #4878 among girls in 2025 with 27 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2138.
When was the name Katharine most popular?
Katharine peaked in 1982, when 946 American girls received the name (ranked #262 that year). Since 1982 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Katharine?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 66,667 newborn American girls was named Katharine. 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.