Girl · #5,674 in 2026

Cathay

Name: Popularity of the name Cathay in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Cathay, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Current Rank

#5,674

Peak Rank

#4,345 (1947)

Total Babies

5-Yr Trend

Stable

1947

First Year

1953

Last Year

1947

Peak Year

#4345

Peak Rank

Total Count

Years Active

The Story of Cathay

Cathay first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1947, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1947, when 7 Cathays were born — ranking #4,345 that year. As of 2026, Cathay ranks #5,674 for baby girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 30 Cathays have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1940s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Cathay

Phonetically similar names — useful when Cathay is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Cathay

What does the name Cathay mean?

Cathay is a girl's name that has been used in U.S. records since 1947. Behind the Name doesn't list a specific etymology, but the name has remained in use across multiple decades.

How popular is Cathay in 2026?

In 2026, Cathay ranks #5,674 among girls' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.

When was Cathay most popular?

Cathay reached its peak popularity in 1947, ranking #4,345 that year with 7 babies given the name.

Is Cathay a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Cathay is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.

What names go well with Cathay?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Cathay include Bille, Aleita, Queenester. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Cathay

Cathay is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1947 and has accumulated 30 births in the dataset. Cathay's peak popularity came in 1947 when it ranked #4,345. Use the chart and map above to compare Cathay's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.