Kather
A feminine name of uncertain origin, potentially meaning "pure" or "innocent".
Name Census estimates that about 2 living Americans carry the first name Kather. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Kather today is around 76 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kather births was 1936 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kather. 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
- • The typical person named Kather is about 76 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Kathers were born before 1960.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Kather. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
2
~ 1 in 171,377,169 Americans
Peak year
1936
7 babies that year
Average age
76
years old
1936 SSA rank
#3,549
Tracked since 1927
Popularity
Kather: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kather from the 1920s through to the 1930s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 10 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1920s peak, Kather remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kather 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 Kather 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 Kather
The name Kather originates from the Sanskrit language and can be traced back to ancient India. It is derived from the word "kath," meaning "story" or "narrative." The name was likely given to individuals who were skilled storytellers or had a talent for reciting tales and legends.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kather can be found in the Hindu epic, the Mahabharata, which dates back to around the 8th century BCE. In this ancient text, there is a character named Kather who is described as a wise sage and a skilled orator.
During the medieval period, the name Kather gained popularity among the Buddhist community in India. Buddhist monks and scholars often adopted this name, as it reflected their role as keepers and transmitters of sacred narratives and teachings.
In the 12th century, a renowned Buddhist scholar and writer named Kather Vatsyayana authored the influential work, the Kama Sutra. This comprehensive treatise on human sexuality, love, and relationships is considered one of the most significant texts in Indian literature.
Another notable figure bearing the name Kather was Kather Sadat, a 16th-century Sufi poet and mystic from present-day Pakistan. His powerful and evocative poetry explored themes of divine love and spiritual enlightenment, earning him a revered place in the tradition of Sufi literature.
In more recent times, Kather Akhtar, a 20th-century Urdu poet from India, gained recognition for his contributions to the literary world. Born in 1920 and passing away in 1996, he was renowned for his melancholic verses that captured the complexities of human emotions and experiences.
Throughout history, the name Kather has been associated with individuals who have excelled in the art of storytelling, poetry, and the preservation of cultural narratives. While its origins can be traced back to ancient India, the name has transcended geographic boundaries and continues to hold a significant place in various literary and spiritual traditions.
People
Kather + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kather 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
Kather: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kather?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kather 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 171,377,169 US residents.
Is Kather a common name?
We classify Kather as "Very Rare". It ranks above 4.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 17 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kather most popular?
The single biggest year for Kather was 1936, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kather is about 76 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 Kather in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Kather a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kather 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 Kather still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Kather 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 Kather 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 have the name Kather?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the name Kather on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.