Total births
860
Boys' name · since 1914
Kato
Kato has 860 recorded births since 1914 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2022 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #2796
- among boys today
- 860
- born since 1914
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 80%
- more common than other boys
860 babies have been named Kato since 1914, making it today's #2796 boys' name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Kato has been recorded 860 times among boys since 1914, currently ranked #2796 nationally and more common than 80% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2010s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1914 to 2025.
- #2796 among boys today
- 860 born since 1914
- 2010s peak decade
- 80% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Kato is currently the #2796 boys' name in America, more common than 80% of boys - 860 born since 1914, peaking in the 2010s.
- #2796
- among boys today
- 860
- born since 1914
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 80%
- more common than other boys
Kato vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#2796
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 80% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
39% of everyone ever named Kato was born in this single decade.
2022
Single peak year
57 babies were named Kato in 2022 - its busiest year on record.
How Kato compares
860 Top 33% higher than 67% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys 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
Kato's all-time total is 134% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Kato | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 860 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 57 | 23 | 22,252 |
Kato's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Kato splits its recorded history at 2004: 82% of all births land in the more recent half, 18% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1914 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2022 peak of 57 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Kato at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2022
Current rank
#2,796
Active since
1914
Kato popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1914–2025
- Peak year (2022)
- 57
- Annual births at peak, across 112 years of records
Kato by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Kato's strongest decade.
337 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 39% of all-time use.
Kato births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 10
1910s
10 births
- 1920s 18
1920s
18 births
- 1940s 6
1940s
6 births
- 1970s 11
1970s
11 births
- 1980s 21
1980s
21 births
- 1990s 64
1990s
64 births
- 2000s 105
2000s
105 births
- 2010s
2010s
337 births
- 2020s
2020s
288 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 337 births (39% of all-time use).
How Kato compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Kato's total volume
Kato vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Kato by state
Where Kato concentrates geographically, total births since 1914
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 71 | 8.3% |
| #2 | Texas | | 37 | 4.3% |
| #3 | Arizona | | 5 | 0.6% |
| #4 | Minnesota | | 5 | 0.6% |
| #5 | New York | | 5 | 0.6% |
| #6 | Ohio | | 5 | 0.6% |
California share of Kato's total US births 8.3%
Even split
71 of 860 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 6 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Kato? ▼
Since 1914, Social Security records show 860 babies named Kato. Today it holds rank #2796 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 2022, with 57 births.
When was Kato most popular? ▼
Kato was most popular in the 2010s decade with 337 total births. The single peak year was 2022.
Where is Kato most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Kato are California (71 births), Texas (37 births), Arizona (5 births).
How long has the name Kato been used? ▼
Kato has been recorded in Social Security data since 1914, spanning 112 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Kato? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Katherine, Kathleen, Kathryn, Kathy, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Kato's data
- Kato's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (337 total births) through the 2020s (288) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Katos (71 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 Kato
Nearby Names Like Kato
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Kato
Katherine Boy
1,824 births
Kathleen Boy
1,691 births
Kathryn Boy
1,092 births
Kathy Boy
739 births
Katie Boy
499 births
Compare Kato side by side: Kato vs Katherine Kato vs Kathleen Kato vs Kathryn
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Kato
Charleston #2795
2,508 births · Peak 2015
Raven #2797
3,333 births · Peak 1999
Champion #2794
744 births · Peak 2019
Eliazar #2798
2,116 births · Peak 2007
Aster #2793
356 births · Peak 2024
Tyron #2799
7,670 births · Peak 1990
Thor #2792
4,857 births · Peak 2015
Tobin #2800
5,570 births · Peak 2013
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, 1914–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Kato: #2796 Boys' Name - 860 Births, Peak 2022." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/kato. 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 Kato 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.