Kato
Boy name · #2648 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Kato? In official American birth records, Kato has been tracked continuously since 1914, giving it 111 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 49 baby boys were named Kato, placing it at #2648 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #2600, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 36,735 boys born in 2025 was named Kato.
The 111-year story
Kato first appears in the Social Security records in 1914, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2022, with 57 babies and a rank of #2438. 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 Kato per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Kato against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Kato in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Kato is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Kato will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Kato is most common
State-level data for Kato 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 Kato
Statistically, parents drawn to Kato tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Cato, Kaito, Miko, Zeno, and Kamilo.
CatoKaitoMikoZenoKamiloKaydeEchoHero
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Kato | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 49 | #2641 |
| 2024 | 46 | #2789 |
| 2023 | 50 | #2614 |
| 2022 | 57 | #2438 |
| 2021 | 34 | #3362 |
| 2020 | 52 | #2467 |
| 2019 | 51 | #2556 |
| 2018 | 48 | #2617 |
| 2017 | 31 | #3518 |
| 2016 | 30 | #3596 |
| 2015 | 47 | #2600 |
| 2014 | 34 | #3234 |
| 2013 | 36 | #3060 |
| 2012 | 27 | #3807 |
| 2011 | 20 | #4659 |
| 2010 | 13 | #6359 |
| 2009 | 13 | #6436 |
| 2008 | 15 | #5767 |
| 2007 | 14 | #5901 |
| 2006 | 17 | #5072 |
| 2005 | 9 | #7640 |
| 2004 | 9 | #7536 |
| 2003 | 10 | #6715 |
| 2001 | 13 | #5390 |
| 2000 | 5 | #10349 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Kato?
In official American birth records, the name Kato first appeared in 1914 (over 111 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 111 years.
Is Kato a popular boy name?
Kato ranked #2648 among boys in 2025 with 49 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2600.
When was the name Kato most popular?
Kato peaked in 2022, when 57 American boys received the name (ranked #2438 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Kato?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 36,735 newborn American boys was named Kato. 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.