A FIELD REPORT ON THE NAME

Catherine

/ˈkæθ.ɹɪn/ · girl name · № 313 of 1,000
measured · starched · monogrammed

Origin & Meaning

AI-Written
The name traces to the Greek Aikaterine, though its earliest etymological root remains debated by linguists. It entered English usage through Norman French variants following the eleventh century, establishing parallel spellings with both initial consonants. In the United States, it appeared consistently from the earliest 1880 records, with the C spelling maintaining an early lead over its counterpart.
Also answers toCathy, Cat, Cate

Fig. 1 — Births per annum, 1880–2025

SSA Data
1880 peak: 12,075 souls, A.D. 1956 2025
2025: 972 born, falling ↘
Estimated Age
54 yrs
Most Catherines were born around 1956 — has dialed a rotary phone in earnest.
Peak Reign
1956
№28 that year
Generation
Boomer, 39%
then Gen X 20% · Millennial 18%
Rarity
Top 100 all-time
≈670K ever born · now falling
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Estimates from SSA birth records and standard survival rates. Immigration and name changes not counted.

Catherine grew up with

SSA Data
The Twist·Beatlemania·45 rpm singles

Generation Distribution — Living Catherines

SSA Data
Silent 8%Boomer 39%Gen X 20%Millennial 18%Gen Z 12%Gen Alpha 5%

Data vs. Humans

What the data says

SSA Data
SSA: Catherine peaked in 1956.
Estimated average age: 54.

What people think

Opinion Ledger
Awaiting human data — cast the first votes.
Catherine sounds like someone born in —

Fig. 2 — Style Coordinates

AI Seed · Votes Override at n=30
Vintage Modern
Formal Casual
Soft Strong
Cast your vote No account · one tap
In your mind, Catherine sounds more like a —
Voting opens when the ledger goes live. No account. 24h cooldown per question.

Public Opinion Ledger

Ledger Opens Soon
The public has not yet weighed in on Catherine. Early ballots carry the most weight.

First Impressions

AI-Written
The name reads as an adult who never lost her original Social Security card. With thirty-eight percent of living holders belonging to the Baby Boom generation, the name brings to mind someone who remembers long-distance toll calls. A Catherine tends to be pictured carrying a leather appointment book and correcting anyone who writes the initial with a K. The overall impression is someone who read the instruction manual before assembling the shelving unit.

Field Notes

AI-Written
Field Note 01
Peak popularity arrived in 1956 with about 12,000 births, placing the typical Catherine's childhood squarely in the era of three broadcast networks.
Field Note 02
While about 670,000 Americans have carried the name since 1880, annual tallies slipped to 972 in 2025, dropping it outside the national top three hundred.
Field Note 03
In the federal ledger, the name is almost entirely female, with the average living bearer now fifty-four years old.

Notable Catherines

AI-Written
Catherine O'Haraactress, b. 1954
Catherine Keeneractress, b. 1959
Catherine Zeta-Jonesactress, b. 1969

Adjacent Names

Ephemera — If Catherine were a…

AI-Written
City
Annapolis, Maryland
Color
Navy wool
Job
College registrar
Artifact
Embossed bookplate
And what of your name?