Total births
949
Girls' name · since 1963
Katja
Katja has 949 recorded births since 1963 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1998 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #10433
- among girls today
- 949
- born since 1963
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 41%
- more common than other girls
Katja currently ranks #10433 among girls' names in America, with 949 babies recorded since 1963.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Katja has been recorded 949 times among girls since 1963, currently ranked #10433 nationally and more common than 41% of girls, with its heaviest use in the 1990s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1963 to 2025.
- #10433 among girls today
- 949 born since 1963
- 1990s peak decade
- 41% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Katja is currently the #10433 girls' name in America, more common than 41% of girls - 949 born since 1963, peaking in the 1990s.
- #10433
- among girls today
- 949
- born since 1963
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 41%
- more common than other girls
Katja vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#10433
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 41% of names given to girls today.
1990s
Peak decade
27% of everyone ever named Katja was born in this single decade.
1998
Single peak year
48 babies were named Katja in 1998 - its busiest year on record.
How Katja compares
949 Top 33% higher than 67% 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
Katja's all-time total is 148% above the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Katja | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 949 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 48 | 48 | 19,840 |
Katja's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Katja's SSA record in two at 1995 and the more recent half accounts for 63% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 37%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 2025, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1998 peak of 48, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Katja at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1998
Current rank
#10,433
Active since
1963
Katja popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1963–2025
- Peak year (1998)
- 48
- Annual births at peak, across 63 years of records
Katja by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Katja's strongest decade.
253 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 27% of all-time use.
Katja births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1960s 51
1960s
51 births
- 1970s
1970s
107 births
- 1980s 88
1980s
88 births
- 1990s
1990s
253 births
- 2000s
2000s
247 births
- 2010s
2010s
151 births
- 2020s 52
2020s
52 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 253 births (27% of all-time use).
How Katja 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 Katja's total volume
Katja vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Katja by state
Where Katja concentrates geographically, total births since 1963
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 46 | 4.8% |
| #2 | New York | | 8 | 0.8% |
| #3 | Texas | | 5 | 0.5% |
California share of Katja's total US births 4.8%
Even split
46 of 949 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 3 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Katja? ▼
Katja has been given to 949 babies in the U.S. since 1963, according to SSA data. Among girls, it ranks #10433 as of the latest data. 48 babies were born in 1998, its single highest year.
When was Katja most popular? ▼
Katja was most popular in the 1990s decade with 253 total births. The single peak year was 1998.
Where is Katja most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Katja are California (46 births), New York (8 births), Texas (5 births).
How long has the name Katja been used? ▼
Records for Katja go back to 1963, giving 63 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Katja? ▼
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 Katja's data
- Katja's decade-level peak was the 1990s (253 total births); usage has since declined to 52 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Katjas (46 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 Katja
Nearby Names Like Katja
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Katja
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 Katja side by side: Katja vs Kathleen Katja vs Katherine Katja vs Kathryn
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Katja
Thania #10432
1,426 births · Peak 1993
Tarah #10434
4,737 births · Peak 1985
Khristina #10431
1,275 births · Peak 1979
Xochilt #10435
1,457 births · Peak 2005
Bellina #10430
116 births · Peak 2011
Melaina #10436
1,197 births · Peak 2004
Kera #10429
3,458 births · Peak 1982
Taira #10437
1,022 births · Peak 1990
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, 1963–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Katja: #10433 Girls' Name - 949 Births, Peak 1998." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/katja. 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 Katja 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.