Girl · #9,602 in 2026

Katniss

Sagittaria is a genus of about 30 species of aquatic plants whose members are referred to by the Native American word wapato and a variety of other common names, including arrowhead, duck potato, swamp potato, tule potato, and katniss. Most are native to South, Central, and North America, but there are also some from Europe, Africa, and Asia.

Current Rank
#9,602
Peak Rank
#3,924 (2014)
Total Babies
215
5-Yr Trend
-13%
2012
First Year
2026
Last Year
2014
Peak Year
#3924
Peak Rank
215
Total Count
15
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Katniss

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Sagittaria is a genus of about 30 species of aquatic plants whose members are referred to by the Native American word wapato and a variety of other common names, including arrowhead, duck potato, swamp potato, tule potato, and katniss. Most are native to South, Central, and North America, but there are also some from Europe, Africa, and Asia.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Etymology
The genus comes from the Latin word sagittārius , meaning 'pertaining to arrows', owing to the leaf shape of many species.

The Story of Katniss

Katniss first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 2012, with 12 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2014, when 38 Katnisss were born — ranking #3,924 that year. As of 2026, Katniss ranks #9,602 for baby girls with 7 births, gradually falling (-13%). In total, more than 215 Katnisss have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2010s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Katniss

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

  • Catus
  • Cadmus
  • Catas
  • Cattiness
  • Canis
  • Kanis
  • Curtness
  • Catnips
  • Coitus
  • Cuteness
  • Coyness
  • Kanas

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Katniss

What does the name Katniss mean?
Sagittaria is a genus of about 30 species of aquatic plants whose members are referred to by the Native American word wapato and a variety of other common names, including arrowhead, duck potato, swamp potato, tule potato, and katniss. Most are native to South, Central, and North America, but there are also some from Europe, Africa, and Asia.
How popular is Katniss in 2026?
In 2026, Katniss ranks #9,602 among girls' names in the U.S., with 7 babies given the name that year.
When was Katniss most popular?
Katniss reached its peak popularity in 2014, ranking #3,924 that year with 38 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Katniss most popular?
Katniss has historically been most popular in Texas, California. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Katniss.
Is Katniss a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Katniss is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Katniss?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Katniss include Cassidee, Berlynn, Kaysen. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Katniss

Katniss is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2012 and has accumulated 215 births in the dataset. Katniss's peak popularity came in 2014 when it ranked #3,924. Use the chart and map above to compare Katniss'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.