Holding steady.
Popularity of Kathye since 1942
Babies named Kathye per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1940s | 86 |
| 1950s | 195 |
| 1960s | 52 |
| 1970s | 5 |
| 1980s | 0 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Kathye is a mid-20th-century spelling variant of Kathy, itself a diminutive of Katherine. The name first appeared in U.S. records in 1942 and saw its peak popularity in 1954, during the height of the 1950s baby boom. Since then, its usage has declined sharply, and it is now extremely uncommon, with no recorded births in 2025. The trajectory has been stable for decades, indicating very infrequent use. While Kathye did not rank among the top 1000 names nationally, its peak year of 1954 reflects a trend of creative respellings of classic names like Katherine, which were widely favored in that era.
Kathye is a respelling of Kathy, which itself is a diminutive of Katherine. Katherine derives from the Greek name Aikaterine, which was associated with the Greek word katharos, meaning 'pure'. The name was popularized by early Christian saints, particularly Saint Catherine of Alexandria. The spelling 'Kathye' emerged in the mid-20th century as a creative variant, peaking in popularity in the 1950s.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Kathy, Kat, Katie, Kate
Sibling names for Kathye
Names that share Kathye's style, for a brother or sister.
