Total births
2,216
Girls' name · since 1939
Cathey
Since 1939, U.S. Social Security records show 2,216 babies named Cathey, peaking in 1953. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- 2,216
- total births
- 1939–1983
- years on record
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 54%
- born in that decade
Cathey sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 2,216 recorded since 1939.
Cathey has 2,216 recorded births among girls since 1939, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used girls names, busiest in the 1950s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1939 to 1983.
- 2,216 total births
- 1939–1983 years on record
- 1950s peak decade
- 54% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
2,216 girls have been named Cathey since 1939, peaking in the 1950s, last recorded in 1983.
- 2,216
- total births
- 1939–1983
- years on record
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 54%
- born in that decade
1950s
Peak decade
54% of everyone ever named Cathey was born in this single decade.
1953
Single peak year
157 babies were named Cathey in 1953 - its busiest year on record.
Cathey's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Cathey's full recorded timeline at 1961, 23% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 77% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1979, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1953 peak of 157 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Cathey at a glance
Last recorded 1983Peak year
1953
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1939
Cathey popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1939–1983
- Peak year (1953)
- 157
- Annual births at peak, across 45 years of records
Cathey by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1950s was Cathey's strongest decade.
1,200 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 54% of all-time use.
Cathey births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1930s 6
1930s
6 births
- 1940s 410
1940s
410 births
- 1950s
1950s
1,200 births
- 1960s 477
1960s
477 births
- 1970s 108
1970s
108 births
- 1980s 15
1980s
15 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 1,200 births (54% of all-time use).
How Cathey 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 Cathey's total volume
Cathey vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Cathey by state
Where Cathey concentrates geographically, total births since 1939
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 371 | 16.7% |
| #2 | Tennessee | | 223 | 10.1% |
| #3 | North Carolina | | 196 | 8.8% |
| #4 | Oklahoma | | 144 | 6.5% |
| #5 | Louisiana | | 64 | 2.9% |
| #6 | California | | 63 | 2.8% |
| #7 | Arkansas | | 46 | 2.1% |
| #8 | South Carolina | | 32 | 1.4% |
Texas share of Cathey's total US births 16.7%
Even split
371 of 2,216 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 18 reporting states.
Cathey appears in 18 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Cathey? ▼
Since 1939, Social Security records show 2,216 babies named Cathey. The most recent recorded year was 1983. Its busiest year on record was 1953, with 157 births.
When was Cathey most popular? ▼
Cathey was most popular in the 1950s decade with 1,200 total births. The single peak year was 1953.
Where is Cathey most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Cathey are Texas (371 births), Tennessee (223 births), North Carolina (196 births).
How long has the name Cathey been used? ▼
Cathey has been recorded in Social Security data since 1939, spanning 45 years of data through 1983.
What names are similar to Cathey? ▼
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 Cathey's data
- Cathey's decade-level peak was the 1950s (1,200 total births); usage has since declined to 15 in the 1980s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Catheys (371 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas 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 Cathey
Nearby Names Like Cathey
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Cathey
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 Cathey side by side: Cathey vs Catherine Cathey vs Cathy Cathey 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, 1939–1983 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Cathey: Baby Name Since 1939 - 2,216 Births, Peak 1953." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/cathey. 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 Cathey 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.