Catalena
A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "pure and bright".
Name Census estimates that about 158 living Americans carry the first name Catalena. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Catalena today is around 12 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Catalena births was 2015 (14 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Catalena. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
158
~ 1 in 2,169,331 Americans
Peak year
2015
14 babies that year
Average age
12
years old
2024 SSA rank
#10,407
Tracked since 1999
Popularity
Catalena: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Catalena from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 80 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Catalena remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Catalena by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Catalena during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Catalena
The name Catalena has its origins in the Greek language and culture, tracing back to the 4th century BC. It is derived from the Greek word "katharos," meaning pure or clean. The name's original form was "Kathaleen," which later evolved into various spellings, including Catalena.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Catalena appears in the writings of the ancient Greek philosopher Plato. In his work "The Republic," he references a character named Catalena, who symbolizes the virtue of purity and cleanliness.
During the Byzantine era, the name Catalena gained popularity among the Eastern Orthodox Christian community. It was often bestowed upon young girls as a symbol of their spiritual purity and devotion to the faith.
In the Middle Ages, the name Catalena made its way to Western Europe through the influence of the Crusades. It was embraced by various noble families and appeared in historical records from that period.
One notable historical figure bearing the name Catalena was Catalena of Siena (1347-1380), an influential Italian philosopher, theologian, and mystic. She played a significant role in the Catholic Church's efforts to heal the Western Schism and is revered as a saint.
Another famous Catalena was Catalena de' Medici (1519-1589), an Italian noblewoman and member of the powerful Medici family. She served as the regent of France during the minority of her son, King Charles IX, and played a pivotal role in the French Wars of Religion.
In the 16th century, the name Catalena gained popularity in Spain, where it was sometimes spelled as "Catalina." One notable Spanish figure with this name was Catalena de Aragon (1485-1536), the first wife of King Henry VIII of England. Their tumultuous marriage and Catalena's refusal to annul it led to the English Reformation.
Another notable Catalena was Catalena the Great (1684-1727), the Russian Empress who expanded the Russian Empire's territories and introduced significant reforms during her reign.
Catalena von Bora (1499-1552), a former nun and wife of the German Protestant Reformer Martin Luther, was also a significant figure in the Protestant Reformation. Her decision to leave the convent and marry Luther was a bold step that challenged the traditional conventions of the time.
People
Catalena + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Catalena as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with C
Other first names starting with C with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Catalena: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Catalena?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 158 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Catalena going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 2,169,331 US residents.
Is Catalena a common name?
We classify Catalena as "Very Rare". It ranks above 71% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 159 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Catalena most popular?
The single biggest year for Catalena was 2015, when 14 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Catalena is about 12 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Catalena in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Catalena a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Catalena in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Catalena still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Catalena in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Catalena can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are called Catalena?
See how many people share the name Catalena on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.