Katenia
A feminine name with unknown origins and meanings.
Name Census estimates that about 22 living Americans carry the first name Katenia. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Katenia today is around 54 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Katenia births was 1972 (14 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Katenia. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Katenia. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
22
~ 1 in 15,579,743 Americans
Peak year
1972
14 babies that year
Average age
54
years old
1973 SSA rank
#5,026
Tracked since 1972
Popularity
Katenia: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Katenia 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 Katenia during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0 | 25 | 25 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Katenia
The name Katenia has its origins in the ancient Greek language, dating back to the Hellenistic period (323 BC - 31 BC) in the region of the Mediterranean. It is derived from the Greek word "kathenai," which means "to guide" or "to lead," suggesting a strong and influential personality.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Katenia can be found in the works of the ancient Greek philosopher Plutarch, who lived from around 46 AD to 120 AD. In his writings, he mentions a woman named Katenia, who was renowned for her wisdom and leadership abilities.
During the Byzantine Empire (330 AD - 1453 AD), the name Katenia gained popularity among the Greek nobility and aristocracy. One notable figure bearing this name was Katenia Palaiologina, a Byzantine princess who lived in the 14th century and was known for her patronage of the arts and literature.
In the Middle Ages, the name Katenia spread to other parts of Europe, particularly in the regions influenced by the Eastern Orthodox Church. A famous bearer of this name was Katenia of Serbia, a Serbian noblewoman who lived in the 15th century and played a significant role in the political and cultural affairs of her time.
As the Renaissance period dawned (14th to 17th century), the name Katenia continued to be used, particularly in the arts and literature. One notable figure was Katenia Veneziano, an Italian poet and writer who lived in the 16th century and was renowned for her lyrical works.
Throughout history, other notable individuals have borne the name Katenia, including Katenia Komnene, a Byzantine princess from the 12th century, known for her diplomatic skills and political acumen; Katenia Roussel, a French painter and sculptor from the 17th century, celebrated for her portraiture and religious works; and Katenia Vasilievna, a Russian noblewoman from the 18th century, renowned for her philanthropic efforts and support of education.
People
Katenia + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Katenia as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with K
Other first names starting with K with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Katenia: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Katenia?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 22 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Katenia 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 15,579,743 US residents.
Is Katenia a common name?
We classify Katenia as "Very Rare". It ranks above 41.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 25 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Katenia most popular?
The single biggest year for Katenia was 1972, when 14 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Katenia is about 54 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Katenia a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Katenia 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.