Katy
Girl name · #2692 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Katy? In official American birth records, Katy has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Katy is currently the #2692 girl name in the United States — 64 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1545, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 28,125 girls born in 2025 was named Katy.
Babies named Katy per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Katy first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 7 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1987, when 674 girls were named Katy — good for #351 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. 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 Katy against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Katy in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Katy is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Katy will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Katy is most common
State-level data for Katy 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).
Nicknames & related forms of Katy
Katy belongs to the Katherine family — closely related nicknames and spellings of the same name.
KatherineKateKatieKathyKatKittyKaty
Counted as one name, the Katherine family went to about 2,805 girls in 2025 — together they'd rank around #88, versus #2692 for Katy alone.
Names like Katy
Statistically, parents drawn to Katy tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Lacy, Kasey, Kirby, Kassie, and Kayce.
LacyKaseyKirbyKassieKayceKaciKristaKami
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Katy | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 64 | #2691 |
| 2024 | 73 | #2462 |
| 2023 | 89 | #2142 |
| 2022 | 85 | #2208 |
| 2021 | 87 | #2154 |
| 2020 | 82 | #2196 |
| 2019 | 91 | #2070 |
| 2018 | 113 | #1799 |
| 2017 | 116 | #1792 |
| 2016 | 133 | #1636 |
| 2015 | 143 | #1545 |
| 2014 | 184 | #1291 |
| 2013 | 160 | #1420 |
| 2012 | 165 | #1396 |
| 2011 | 201 | #1196 |
| 2010 | 185 | #1287 |
| 2009 | 194 | #1258 |
| 2008 | 214 | #1188 |
| 2007 | 217 | #1172 |
| 2006 | 210 | #1157 |
| 2005 | 226 | #1054 |
| 2004 | 240 | #987 |
| 2003 | 233 | #990 |
| 2002 | 240 | #933 |
| 2001 | 218 | #984 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Katy?
In official American birth records, the name Katy first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 7 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Katy a popular girl name?
Katy ranked #2692 among girls in 2025 with 64 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1545.
When was the name Katy most popular?
Katy peaked in 1987, when 674 American girls received the name (ranked #351 that year). Since 1987 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Katy?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 28,125 newborn American girls was named Katy. 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.