Total births
1,080
Girls' name · since 1882
Cathern
Since 1882, U.S. Social Security records show 1,080 babies named Cathern, peaking in 1930. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- 1,080
- total births
- 1882–1988
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 21%
- born in that decade
Cathern is not among the current top-ranked girls names; 1,080 have been recorded since 1882.
Cathern has 1,080 recorded births among girls since 1882, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used girls names, busiest in the 1920s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1882 to 1988.
- 1,080 total births
- 1882–1988 years on record
- 1920s peak decade
- 21% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
1,080 girls have been named Cathern since 1882, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 1988.
- 1,080
- total births
- 1882–1988
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 21%
- born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade
21% of everyone ever named Cathern was born in this single decade.
1930
Single peak year
29 babies were named Cathern in 1930 - its busiest year on record.
Cathern's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Cathern's full recorded timeline at 1938, 44% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 56% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1884, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1930 peak of 29 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Cathern at a glance
Last recorded 1988Peak year
1930
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1882
Cathern popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1882–1988
- Peak year (1930)
- 29
- Annual births at peak, across 107 years of records
Cathern by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Cathern's strongest decade.
229 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 21% of all-time use.
Cathern births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 29
1880s
29 births
- 1890s 15
1890s
15 births
- 1900s 30
1900s
30 births
- 1910s
1910s
162 births
- 1920s
1920s
229 births
- 1930s
1930s
165 births
- 1940s
1940s
144 births
- 1950s
1950s
161 births
- 1960s 74
1960s
74 births
- 1970s 41
1970s
41 births
- 1980s 30
1980s
30 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 229 births (21% of all-time use).
How Cathern compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Cathern's total volume
Cathern vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Cathern by state
Where Cathern concentrates geographically, total births since 1882
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | West Virginia | | 13 | 1.2% |
| #2 | Virginia | | 5 | 0.5% |
West Virginia share of Cathern's total US births 1.2%
Even split
13 of 1,080 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Cathern? ▼
Cathern has been given to 1,080 babies in the U.S. since 1882, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 1988. 29 babies were born in 1930, its single highest year.
When was Cathern most popular? ▼
Cathern was most popular in the 1920s decade with 229 total births. The single peak year was 1930.
Where is Cathern most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Cathern are West Virginia (13 births), Virginia (5 births).
How long has the name Cathern been used? ▼
Records for Cathern go back to 1882, giving 107 years of history through 1988.
What names are similar to Cathern? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Catherine, Cathy, Catalina, Cathleen, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Cathern's data
- Cathern's decade-level peak was the 1920s (229 total births); usage has since declined to 30 in the 1980s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- West Virginia records the most Catherns (13 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. West Virginia names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Cathern
Nearby Names Like Cathern
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Cathern
Catherine Girl
#322 667,789 births
Cathy Girl
#5993 170,303 births
Catalina Girl
#128 33,009 births
Cathleen Girl
#8463 29,923 births
Cathryn Girl
#6650 16,332 births
Compare Cathern side by side: Cathern vs Catherine Cathern vs Cathy Cathern vs Catalina
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of July 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1882–1988 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Cathern: Baby Name Since 1882 - 1,080 Births, Peak 1930." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/cathern. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Cathern draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of July 2026.