Declining since 2013, #4,352 for girls today.
Popularity of Kateri since 1937
Babies named Kateri per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1930s | 5 |
| 1940s | 11 |
| 1950s | 87 |
| 1960s | 180 |
| 1970s | 202 |
| 1980s | 442 |
| 1990s | 457 |
| 2000s | 427 |
| 2010s | 494 |
| 2020s | 228 |
Meaning & origin
Kateri is a name of Mohawk origin, most famously borne by Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, canonized in 2012. Though it has been in use since at least 1937, the name saw its peak popularity in 1980, ranking 4352 as of 2025. Its usage has been declining since around 2013, but it remains a distinctive choice with cultural and religious significance, especially among Catholic and Native American communities.
Kateri is best known as the name of Kateri Tekakwitha (1656 1680), a Mohawk woman canonized as the first Native American saint. The name itself is a Mohawk form of Catherine, derived from the Greek Aikaterine, though its exact etymology is debated. It has been used among Catholic families honoring Saint Kateri, and occasionally as a variant of Katherine.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Katie, Kat, Kateri
Sibling names for Kateri
Names that share Kateri's style, for a brother or sister.
