Given name & surname
Cathy
“one who is pure; virginal”
In English use, Cathy is an affectionate form of Katherine. In Greek use, Katherine carries the interpretation “one who is pure; virginal.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Cathy is an affectionate form of Katherine. In Greek use, Katherine carries the interpretation “one who is pure; virginal.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Cathy is a diminutive of Catherine. Catherine possibly comes from French, and ultimately from Ancient Greek.
Adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
How it developed
In English use, Cathy is used as an affectionate form of Catherine.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1918. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In English use, Cathy is an affectionate form of Katherine. The history of Katherine gives this family its wider story. Katherine’s historical associations include Catherine de’ Medici, wife of King Henry II and regent.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Cathy through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 170,646
- 343 boys · 170,303 girls
- Most popular year
- 1958
- 10,961 babies
- 2025
- 12
- #8,463 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −48%
- Cooling
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 12 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 8,463 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 47.9% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 10,942 in 1958. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 146,470 as a first name in 2020; 312 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Cathy’s family of names
Cathy is an affectionate form of Katherine. Cathy has a related form in Catherine. In French usage, Cathy is a diminutive of Catherine.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Cathy has relatives in 7 languages.
15 related names in 7 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 10
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Katherinefull form
- Catherinefull form · French, English
- Kathyvariant · Tagalog, English
- Cathyelikely variant
- Catheelikely variant
- Kathievariant · English
- Kathivariant · English
- Cathievariant · English
Show 2 moreShow fewer
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 37
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Catalinaequivalent
- Kateequivalent
- Katieequivalent
- Katarinaequivalent
- Catarinaequivalent
- Katiaequivalent
- Katrinaequivalent
- Katyequivalent
Show 29 moreShow fewer
- Caterinaequivalent
- KasiaPolish
- Ekaterinaequivalent
- Katharinaequivalent
- Catharinaequivalent
- Cathrynequivalent
- Karinequivalent
- Katjaequivalent
- Katarzynaequivalent
- Cathequivalent
- Catharineequivalent
- Katiequivalent · Hungarian
- Katrinequivalent
- Katalinequivalent
- Kateřinaequivalent
- Katelligequivalent · Breton
- KatarzynkaPolish
- KasieńkaPolish
- KaśkaPolish
- Katouequivalent · Breton
- Katóequivalent · Hungarian
- Katrijnequivalent
- Екатеринаequivalent
- Ekaterineequivalent
- Katriinaequivalent
- Catequivalent
- Katriinequivalent
- Jekaterinaequivalent
- CatinonOccitan
People named Cathy
- Cathy FreemanAustralian short-distance runnerborn 1973
- Cathy Moriartyactressborn 1960
- Cathy WeseluckCanadian actress (born 1970)
- Cathy O'DonnellAmerican actress (1923–1970)
- Cathy BerberianAmerican mezzo-soprano and composer1925–1983
- Cathy CarrAmerican swimmerborn 1954
- Cathy McMorris RodgersAmerican politician (born 1969)
- Cathy FergusonAmerican swimmerborn 1948
- Cathy DennisBritish singerborn 1968
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Cathy, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Kathrine
“one who is pure; virginal”
>99% girls
Katri
“one who is pure; virginal”
>99% girls
Ketty
“one who is pure; virginal” · “of the cauldron”
>99% girls
Kath
“one who is pure; virginal”
>99% girls
Karen
“one who is pure; virginal” · “one who is pure; chaste”
1% boys · 99% girls
Candy
“a queen” · “one who is white and glowing”
>99% girls
Kimmie
“of the royal fortress”
>99% girls
Kenda
“from the royal valley”
>99% girls