Katy

Katy - A very unique female name

Katy appeared on the charts for the first time in 1911 on position #827. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Katy and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Katy? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Katy. The baby girl name Katy was given to 25 baby girls in 2025, ranking #2678 on the national girl baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 52,139 baby girls were given this name - making this a very unique female name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Katy peaked in popularity 39 years ago in 1987 on position 353.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Katy, 1-5?

Katy is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Katy is currently topping the baby name charts in Texas at position #1,977 - and is the least popular in California at position #2,388.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Katy is where you live.

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Katy origin and meaning

English, pet form of Katherine

A pet form of Katherine; Katherine's own derivation is famously disputed (the 'pure' gloss is a later association with Greek katharos)

Katy has been used since 1911, both as a nickname and as a registered name in its own right, peaking in 1987. Its modern fame rests largely on one pop star who performs under it.

Origin uncertain

Katy is a 4 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Katy, pop culture references for the name Katy and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Katy

We've found the following names that sound similar to Katy, sorted by popularity.

Kathy / Katie / Kate / Kassidy / Kathie / Kathi / Kitty / Katia / Kati / Kattie /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Katy

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Katy a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique female name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Katy?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

KAY-tee · /ˈkeɪti/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Katie — The commoner pet-form spelling, a separate established name
• Katey — Respelling with the same sound

Famous bearers

• Katy Perry — American pop star of 'I Kissed a Girl' and 'Firework'; born Katheryn Hudson and famous under the name Katy Perry (b. 1984) Contemporary

Style

Nickname name

Why parents choose it

Katy is a friendly, approachable short form that can stand alone. Today it belongs first to Katy Perry in most people's minds.

Worth knowing

• The 'pure' meaning often given for Katherine is a folk association, not a settled derivation