Kathryn
Girl name · #729 in 2025 · Uniqueness 69/100
Kathryn is currently the #729 girl name in the United States — 381 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #318, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 4,724 girls born in 2025 was named Kathryn.
Babies named Kathryn per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Kathryn first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 204 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1952, when 8,504 girls were named Kathryn — good for #48 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Kathryn against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Kathryn in class?
Kathryn scores 69 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Kathryn will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Kathryn is most common
Geography matters for names, and Kathryn is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Kathryns were PA (31), CA (25), TX (24), GA (20), NC (16). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Kathryn
Statistically, parents drawn to Kathryn tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Marilyn, Jacquelyn, Kathleen, Claudia, and Carolyn.
MarilynJacquelynKathleenClaudiaCarolynEllenLeslieLaurel
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Kathryn | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 381 | #729 |
| 2024 | 393 | #714 |
| 2023 | 432 | #678 |
| 2022 | 452 | #655 |
| 2021 | 510 | #589 |
| 2020 | 574 | #525 |
| 2019 | 651 | #483 |
| 2018 | 699 | #452 |
| 2017 | 748 | #426 |
| 2016 | 839 | #396 |
| 2015 | 1,021 | #318 |
| 2014 | 1,118 | #292 |
| 2013 | 1,184 | #270 |
| 2012 | 1,230 | #264 |
| 2011 | 1,339 | #235 |
| 2010 | 1,370 | #230 |
| 2009 | 1,520 | #213 |
| 2008 | 1,782 | #190 |
| 2007 | 2,216 | #163 |
| 2006 | 2,420 | #143 |
| 2005 | 2,579 | #125 |
| 2004 | 2,757 | #122 |
| 2003 | 2,948 | #117 |
| 2002 | 3,109 | #108 |
| 2001 | 3,332 | #97 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Kathryn a popular girl name?
Kathryn ranked #729 among girls in 2025 with 381 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #318.
When was the name Kathryn most popular?
Kathryn peaked in 1952, when 8,504 American girls received the name (ranked #48 that year). Since 1952 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Kathryn?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 4,724 newborn American girls was named Kathryn. It scores 69/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.