Total births
2,121
Girls' name · since 1881
Katharina
Since 1881, U.S. Social Security records show 2,121 babies named Katharina, peaking in 1991. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #7261
- among girls today
- 2,121
- born since 1881
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 59%
- more common than other girls
2,121 babies have been named Katharina since 1881, making it today's #7261 girls' name.
Social Security Administration records show Katharina recorded 2,121 times among girls since 1881, holding rank #7261 nationally today, ahead of 59% of girls, peaking in the 1990s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1881 to 2025.
- #7261 among girls today
- 2,121 born since 1881
- 1990s peak decade
- 59% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Katharina is currently the #7261 girls' name in America, more common than 59% of girls - 2,121 born since 1881, peaking in the 1990s.
- #7261
- among girls today
- 2,121
- born since 1881
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 59%
- more common than other girls
Katharina vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#7261
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 59% of names given to girls today.
1990s
Peak decade
21% of everyone ever named Katharina was born in this single decade.
1991
Single peak year
58 babies were named Katharina in 1991 - its busiest year on record.
How Katharina compares
2,121 Top 21% higher than 79% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Katharina's all-time total is 6x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Katharina | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,121 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 58 | 48 | 19,840 |
Katharina's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Katharina's SSA record in two at 1972 and the more recent half accounts for 71% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 29%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1882, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1991 peak of 58, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Katharina at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1991
Current rank
#7,261
Active since
1881
Katharina popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1881–2025
- Peak year (1991)
- 58
- Annual births at peak, across 145 years of records
Katharina by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Katharina's strongest decade.
451 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 21% of all-time use.
Katharina births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 52
1880s
52 births
- 1890s 40
1890s
40 births
- 1900s 25
1900s
25 births
- 1910s 45
1910s
45 births
- 1920s 30
1920s
30 births
- 1930s 12
1930s
12 births
- 1940s 11
1940s
11 births
- 1950s 128
1950s
128 births
- 1960s
1960s
231 births
- 1970s 158
1970s
158 births
- 1980s
1980s
269 births
- 1990s
1990s
451 births
- 2000s
2000s
350 births
- 2010s
2010s
214 births
- 2020s 105
2020s
105 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 451 births (21% of all-time use).
How Katharina 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 Katharina's total volume
Katharina vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Katharina by state
Where Katharina concentrates geographically, total births since 1881
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 116 | 5.5% |
| #2 | New York | | 67 | 3.2% |
| #3 | Texas | | 39 | 1.8% |
| #4 | Florida | | 11 | 0.5% |
| #5 | Illinois | | 10 | 0.5% |
| #6 | Colorado | | 5 | 0.2% |
| #7 | New Jersey | | 5 | 0.2% |
| #8 | Virginia | | 5 | 0.2% |
California share of Katharina's total US births 5.5%
Even split
116 of 2,121 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 9 reporting states.
Katharina appears in 9 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Katharina? ▼
Since 1881, Social Security records show 2,121 babies named Katharina. Today it holds rank #7261 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 1991, with 58 births.
When was Katharina most popular? ▼
Katharina was most popular in the 1990s decade with 451 total births. The single peak year was 1991.
Where is Katharina most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Katharina are California (116 births), New York (67 births), Texas (39 births).
How long has the name Katharina been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Katharina since 1881 -- 145 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Katharina? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Kathleen, Katherine, Kathryn, Kathy, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Katharina's data
- Katharina's decade-level peak was the 1990s (451 total births); usage has since declined to 105 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Katharinas (116 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California 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 Katharina
Nearby Names Like Katharina
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Katharina
Kathleen Girl
#1099 713,645 births
Katherine Girl
#175 650,926 births
Kathryn Girl
#714 455,423 births
Kathy Girl
#2699 334,131 births
Katie Girl
#576 241,285 births
Compare Katharina side by side: Katharina vs Kathleen Katharina vs Katherine Katharina vs Kathryn
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Katharina
Jonnie #7260
5,880 births · Peak 1947
Levina #7262
631 births · Peak 1922
Gracia #7259
1,952 births · Peak 2003
Elza #7263
831 births · Peak 1921
Freddie #7258
10,328 births · Peak 1942
Freida #7264
10,794 births · Peak 1947
Evaline #7257
1,708 births · Peak 1916
Chaney #7265
1,372 births · Peak 2003
Data Sources
Data as of June 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, 1881–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Katharina: #7261 Girls' Name - 2,121 Births, Peak 1991." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/katharina. 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 Katharina 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 June 2026.