Catrena
Anglicized variant of the Latin name "Catrina", meaning "pure" or "innocent".
Name Census estimates that about 328 living Americans carry the first name Catrena. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Catrena today is around 50 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Catrena births was 1972 (29 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Catrena. 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
328
~ 1 in 1,044,983 Americans
Peak year
1972
29 babies that year
Average age
50
years old
1996 SSA rank
#10,773
Tracked since 1962
Popularity
Catrena: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Catrena from the 1960s through to the 1990s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 176 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1970s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Catrena 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 Catrena during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Catrenas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Catrena
The name Catrena is a feminine given name with origins in the Gaelic language. It is derived from the Irish Gaelic word "catrena," which means "little Catherine." The name Catherine itself is derived from the Greek name "Katharina," meaning "pure."
In the early Middle Ages, the name Catrena emerged as a diminutive form of Catherine, particularly popular in Ireland and Scotland. It was often used as a pet name or nickname for those named Catherine, reflecting the endearment and affection associated with its diminutive form.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Catrena can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. The annals mention a woman named Catrena Ní Dhomhnaill, who lived in the 15th century and was a member of the prominent O'Donnell clan in Ulster.
Throughout history, several notable women have borne the name Catrena. In the 16th century, Catrena Cavanagh was a prominent Irish noblewoman and chieftain's wife in County Wexford. In the 18th century, Catrena MacGregor was a celebrated Scottish poet and songwriter, known for her contributions to the Gaelic literary tradition.
In the 19th century, Catrena Byrne was an Irish-American activist and philanthropist who dedicated her life to improving the lives of immigrants in New York City. She founded several charitable organizations and was recognized for her efforts in promoting education and social welfare.
Another noteworthy figure was Catrena MacDonald, a Scottish suffragette and women's rights advocate in the early 20th century. She played a significant role in the fight for women's suffrage and worked tirelessly to promote gender equality.
While the name Catrena has its roots in the Gaelic tradition, it has also been adopted and used in various other cultures and regions over time, although its usage has remained relatively rare compared to its parent name, Catherine.
People
Catrena + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Catrena 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
Catrena: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Catrena?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 328 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Catrena 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 1,044,983 US residents.
Is Catrena a common name?
We classify Catrena as "Very Rare". It ranks above 80.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 365 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Catrena most popular?
The single biggest year for Catrena was 1972, when 29 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Catrena is about 50 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Catrena a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Catrena 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.
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.