Katty
A diminutive form of Katherine, derived from the Greek name Aikaterine meaning "pure".
Name Census estimates that about 950 living Americans carry the first name Katty. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Katty today is around 27 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Katty births was 2000 (34 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Katty. 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
950
~ 1 in 360,794 Americans
Peak year
2000
34 babies that year
Average age
27
years old
2024 SSA rank
#10,642
Tracked since 1925
Popularity
Katty: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Katty from the 1920s through to the 2020s, spanning 11 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 230 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2000s peak, Katty remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Katty 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 Katty during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Kattys live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. California, New York, Texas recorded the most babies named Katty, while Texas, New York, California recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 78 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Katty
The name Katty is a diminutive form of the name Katherine, which has its origins in the Greek language. The name Katherine is derived from the Greek word "katharos," meaning "pure" or "clear." It was introduced to Western Europe through the venerated Christian martyr St. Catherine of Alexandria, whose cult spread widely during the Middle Ages.
Katty's roots can be traced back to the 4th century, when St. Catherine of Alexandria lived. According to legend, she was a highly educated young woman who converted to Christianity and was subsequently martyred for her faith during the reign of the Roman Emperor Maxentius. Her name was later Latinized as "Catharina" or "Katerina," which gave rise to various spellings and diminutives across different languages.
The earliest recorded examples of the name Katty can be found in medieval records and literature. One notable figure bearing this name was Katty Stuart, a Scottish noblewoman who lived in the 16th century. She was a Lady-in-Waiting to Mary, Queen of Scots, and played a significant role in the Scottish Reformation.
Another historical figure was Katty Ferguson, an 18th-century Scottish poet and songwriter. Born in 1700, she is remembered for her contributions to the Scottish literary tradition, particularly her bawdy and satirical works.
In the realm of art, Katty Walters was a British painter who lived from 1848 to 1936. She was a prominent member of the Newlyn School of artists and is known for her depictions of rural life and landscapes in Cornwall, England.
Moving to the 20th century, Katty Kay is a British journalist and author born in 1964. She has worked as a lead anchor for BBC World News America and has covered various major events, including several presidential elections in the United States.
Lastly, Katty Piri is a renowned Peruvian chef and television personality born in 1977. She has played a significant role in promoting Peruvian cuisine worldwide and has authored several cookbooks celebrating her country's culinary heritage.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Katty, a diminutive form of Katherine with deep roots in Greek and Christian traditions.
People
Katty + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Katty 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
Katty: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Katty?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 950 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Katty 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 360,794 US residents.
Is Katty a common name?
We classify Katty as "Very Rare". It ranks above 89.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 999 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Katty most popular?
The single biggest year for Katty was 2000, when 34 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Katty is about 27 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Katty a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Katty 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.