Girls' name · since 1938

Kathey

Since 1938, U.S. Social Security records show 1,600 babies named Kathey, peaking in 1956. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.

#5,470 of 72,339
all-time among girls
1,600
born since 1938
1950s
peak decade

1,600 girls have been named Kathey since 1938, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.

Kathey has 1,600 recorded births among girls since 1938, 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 1938 to 1977.

  • #5,470 of 72,339 all-time among girls
  • 1,600 born since 1938
  • 1950s peak decade

Data updated Aug 2026

The verdict

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Kathey ranks #5,470 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 1,600 born since 1938, peaking in the 1950s.

#5,470 of 72,339
all-time among girls
1,600
born since 1938
1950s
peak decade
Above the archive median
All-time archive position

Kathey's 1,600 recorded births place it above 92.43% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.

16 jurisdictions
State-record footprint

16 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by Texas.

Kathey's usage pattern, beyond the headline number

Divide Kathey's SSA record in two at 1957 and the more recent half accounts for 45% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 55%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1938, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1956 peak of 126, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.

Kathey popularity over time

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1938–1977

Last recorded 1977
Peak year (1956)
126
Annual births at peak, across 40 years of records
050100150 193819441949195419591964196919761977 6

Kathey by decade

1950s is the heaviest window (877 births, 55% of the file).

1950s was Kathey's strongest decade.

877 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 55% of all-time use.

Kathey births by decade

Total births in each ten-year window

births

What this shows Peak: 1950s at 877 births (55% of all-time use).

Source U.S. Social Security Administration · Baby Names As of August 2026

How Kathey 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 Kathey's total volume

Kathey vs 15 similarly-sized girls names Scatter plot of 16 data points. 0%5%10%15%20% 050100150200 New & already peakedOld name, single-era peakNew & still diversifyingLong history, steady all along Years in SSA records % of total births in the single peak year -31, 6.6%-92, 8.4%-17, 14.9%-25, 9.7%-85, 2.9%-32, 4.9%-50, 4.1%-51, 5.4%-146, 2.5%-27, 7.5%-30, 7.4%-48, 4.7%-43, 6.9%-46, 6.9%-128, 10.7%Kathey-40, 7.9%Kathey
Kathey vs 15 similarly-sized girls names

Kathey by state

Where Kathey concentrates geographically, total births since 1938

Geographically diffuse
Top 8 states by recorded births for the name Kathey
Rank State Visual share Births Share of total
#1 Texas
207 12.9%
#2 Tennessee
138 8.6%
#3 North Carolina
74 4.6%
#4 Alabama
36 2.3%
#5 Arkansas
30 1.9%
#6 Oklahoma
29 1.8%
#7 California
20 1.3%
#8 Georgia
20 1.3%
Texas share of Kathey's total US births 12.9%
Even split

207 of 1,600 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 16 reporting states.

Kathey appears in 16 states. Explore state details →

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Kathey?
1,600 babies have been named Kathey since 1938. All-time, it sits at #5,470 of 72,339 girls' names by recorded births. It was last recorded in 1977. The peak year was 1956 with 126 births.
Where does Kathey sit in the SSA name archive?
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Kathey ranks #5,470 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). All-time ordinal matches browse popularity (total births DESC); the current ordinal uses the null SSA file. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
When was Kathey most popular?
Kathey was most popular in the 1950s decade with 877 total births. The single peak year was 1956.
Where is Kathey most popular?
The top states for the name Kathey are Texas (207 births), Tennessee (138 births), North Carolina (74 births).
How long has the name Kathey been used?
The SSA has tracked Kathey since 1938 -- 40 years through the most recent 1977 data.
What names are similar to Kathey?
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 Kathey's data

  • Kathey's decade-level peak was the 1950s (877 total births); usage has since declined to 64 in the 1970s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
  • Texas records the most Katheys (207 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas names

Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.

Keep exploring Kathey

Nearby Names Like Kathey

Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Kathey

Names with a similar number of total births

Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span

Two nationwide peer axes for Kathey: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.

Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.

Data Sources

Data as of August 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, 1938–1977 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).

State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).

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 Kathey 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 August 2026.