Kate

Meaning: Uncertain; possibly each of the two, traditionally linked to pure
Origin: Greek — Short form of Katherine

Girl's name · #522 in the US (2025) · Vintage

Popularity over time

Kate is an heirloom: its strongest era came around 1880, when it ranked #79. It has thinned since but never left the records — about 86,000 girls since 1880, ranked #522 today. In all that time it has never once missed a year of the national records.

Across the states

See where Kate is more common.

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 39 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Around the world

See how Kate ranks in other countries and regions.

#52 in Ireland (2025) · #163 in Netherlands (2025) · #191 in N. Ireland (2025) · #429 in Canada (2025) · #474 in Scotland (2025) · #642 in Austria (2025) · #658 in Italy (2024) · #842 in Switzerland (2025) · #885 in Ecuador (2025) · #1,079 in England & Wales (2025) · #1,200 in Sweden (2025) · #1,621 in France (2025) and 9 more.

Famous Kates

Kate Winslet — English actress (born 1975)
Kate Hudson — American actress and singer (born 1979)
Kate Beckinsale — English actress (born 1973)
Kate Bush — English singer-songwriter (born 1958)
Kate Moss — English model and businesswoman (born 1974)
Kate Mara — American actress (born 1983)
Kate Upton — American model and actress (born 1992)
Kate Bosworth — American actress (born 1983)
Kate Capshaw — American actress (born 1953)
Kate McKinnon — American actress and comedian (born 1984)

In stories & tradition

Kate Austen — Fictional character of the TV series Lost
Kate (Hawkeye) — Marvel Comics superheroine
Kate Kane — DC Comics character

What Kates become

Among 2,236 notable people named Kate:

Entertainers appear 1.69× more often than among typical names — e.g. Kate Winslet, English actress (born 1975).

Similar names: Katherine · Martha · Callie · Tate · Helen · Kara

Browse more girl names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

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