Katona
Hungarian name meaning "soldier" or "warrior".
Name Census estimates that about 50 living Americans carry the first name Katona. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Katona today is around 33 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Katona births was 1982 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Katona. 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 Katona. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
50
~ 1 in 6,855,087 Americans
Peak year
1982
8 babies that year
Average age
33
years old
2005 SSA rank
#15,446
Tracked since 1975
Popularity
Katona: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Katona from the 1970s through to the 2000s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 17 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Katona 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 Katona 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 Katona
The name Katona has its origins in the Hungarian language, tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the word "katona," which means "soldier" in Hungarian. This connection suggests that the name may have been initially associated with military service or martial pursuits.
In the early days of Hungarian history, the name Katona was likely used to identify individuals who served as soldiers or held military roles within their communities. As Hungary underwent various cultural and political changes throughout the centuries, the name became more widespread and adopted by families across the country.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Katona can be found in the 14th century, when a Hungarian nobleman named István Katona was mentioned in historical records. István Katona was a prominent figure during the reign of King Louis I of Hungary, and he played a significant role in the military campaigns of that era.
Another notable figure bearing the name Katona was János Katona, a Hungarian dramatist and writer who lived from 1764 to 1811. He is renowned for his contributions to Hungarian literature, particularly his historical plays and tragedies, which explored themes of national identity and cultural heritage.
In the 19th century, the name Katona gained further prominence with the birth of Kálmán Katona (1838-1911), a Hungarian politician and jurist. Kálmán Katona served as the Minister of Justice in the Hungarian government and was instrumental in shaping legal reforms during his tenure.
The 20th century saw the name Katona associated with several influential figures as well. One such individual was István Katona (1891-1942), a Hungarian engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the field of telecommunications. His innovations in radio and telephone technology earned him recognition both domestically and internationally.
Another notable bearer of the name was Kálmán Katona (1933-2001), a renowned Hungarian filmmaker and screenwriter. His works explored themes of social commentary and captured the complexities of human relationships. Katona's films received critical acclaim and numerous awards, solidifying his place in Hungarian cinematic history.
While the name Katona has its roots in Hungarian culture and language, it has also gained recognition beyond the borders of Hungary. Individuals bearing this name can be found in various parts of the world, each contributing to their respective fields and carrying forward the legacy of this historically significant name.
People
Katona + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Katona 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
Katona: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Katona?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 50 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Katona 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 6,855,087 US residents.
Is Katona a common name?
We classify Katona as "Very Rare". It ranks above 54.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 52 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Katona most popular?
The single biggest year for Katona was 1982, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Katona is about 33 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 Katona in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Katona a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Katona 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 Katona still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Katona 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 Katona 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 Katona?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.