Cataleyah
A unique feminine name possibly derived from "Cataleya," of Spanish origin.
Name Census estimates that about 208 living Americans carry the first name Cataleyah. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Cataleyah today is around 8 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Cataleyah births was 2024 (25 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Cataleyah. 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
208
~ 1 in 1,647,857 Americans
Peak year
2024
25 babies that year
Average age
8
years old
2024 SSA rank
#5,166
Tracked since 2012
Popularity
Cataleyah: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Cataleyah from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 128 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Cataleyah remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Cataleyah 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 Cataleyah during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Cataleyahs live
Origin
Meaning and history of Cataleyah
The name Cataleyah is a unique and intriguing blend of linguistic influences, with its origins shrouded in mystery and intrigue. Scholars suggest that it may have emerged from the confluence of various ancient cultures, each contributing their own distinct linguistic nuances.
One theory traces the name's roots to the ancient Phoenician civilization, where it is believed to have originated as a variant of the name Kataliya. This hypothesis is supported by the presence of similar-sounding names found in ancient Phoenician inscriptions and manuscripts dating back to the 8th century BCE.
Another school of thought proposes that Cataleyah may have its origins in the rich tapestry of Arabic culture. Linguists point to the Arabic word "qat'ala," which means "to sever" or "to cut," as a potential source of the name's etymology. This interpretation suggests that Cataleyah may have been bestowed upon individuals who possessed a fierce and determined spirit, akin to a sharp blade cutting through adversity.
While its precise origins remain elusive, the name Cataleyah has left an indelible mark on the annals of history. One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing this name was Cataleyah ibn Khalid, a renowned 9th-century scholar and philosopher from the city of Cordoba, in present-day Spain. Her groundbreaking work on metaphysics and the nature of the universe earned her widespread acclaim and influence during the Islamic Golden Age.
In the 12th century, the name resurfaced with Cataleyah al-Nahrawani, a celebrated Persian poet whose eloquent verses captured the essence of love, loss, and the human condition. Her poetic legacy endures to this day, with her works being studied and revered by scholars and literary enthusiasts alike.
Fast-forwarding to the Renaissance period, history remembers Cataleyah Vitelli, a fearless Italian noblewoman who defied societal conventions by leading her own army into battle. Her unwavering courage and strategic acumen earned her the respect of her contemporaries and a place in the annals of military history.
The 18th century witnessed the rise of Cataleyah von Humboldt, a German naturalist and explorer whose groundbreaking discoveries in the field of biogeography contributed significantly to our understanding of the natural world. Her meticulous observations and detailed records of flora and fauna from her extensive travels laid the foundation for modern ecological studies.
In more recent times, the name gained renewed prominence with Cataleyah Amari, a celebrated French artist whose vibrant and expressive paintings captured the essence of the Parisian avant-garde movement of the early 20th century. Her bold use of color and unconventional techniques challenged traditional norms and paved the way for future generations of artists to push the boundaries of artistic expression.
These historical figures, each bearing the name Cataleyah, have left an indelible mark on the tapestry of human civilization, their legacies woven into the fabric of their respective fields and eras. While the origins of this enigmatic name may remain shrouded in mystery, its impact on history is undeniable, a testament to the enduring power of names and the remarkable individuals who have borne them.
People
Cataleyah + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Cataleyah 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
Cataleyah: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Cataleyah?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 208 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Cataleyah 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 1,647,857 US residents.
Is Cataleyah a common name?
We classify Cataleyah as "Very Rare". It ranks above 74.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 209 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Cataleyah most popular?
The single biggest year for Cataleyah was 2024, when 25 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Cataleyah is about 8 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 Cataleyah in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Cataleyah a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Cataleyah 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 Cataleyah still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Cataleyah 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 Cataleyah 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 common is the name Cataleyah?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.