Girl · #7,472 in 2026

Kitten

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

A kitten is a juvenile cat. After being born, kittens display primary altriciality and are fully dependent on their mothers for survival. They normally do not open their eyes for seven to ten days. After about two weeks, kittens develop quickly and begin to explore the world beyond their nest. After a further three to four weeks, they begin to eat solid food and grow baby teeth.

Current Rank

#7,472

Peak Rank

#3,994 (1946)

Total Babies

5-Yr Trend

Stable

1942

First Year

1969

Last Year

1946

Peak Year

#3994

Peak Rank

Total Count

Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Kitten

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

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

Etymology

The word "kitten" derives from the Middle English word kitoun , which in turn came from the Old French chitoun or cheton . Juvenile big cats are called "cubs" rather than kittens. For the young of smaller wild felids , such as ocelots , caracals , and lynxes , either term may be used, though "kitten" is more common.

The Story of Kitten

Kitten first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1942, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1946, when 7 Kittens were born — ranking #3,994 that year. As of 2026, Kitten ranks #7,472 for baby girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 54 Kittens 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 Kitten

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

Cutten
Keton
Cotton
Cotten
Keaton
Chitin
Caton
Coton
Katan
Keeton
Catton
Cayton

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Kitten

What does the name Kitten mean?

How popular is Kitten in 2026?

In 2026, Kitten ranks #7,472 among girls' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.

When was Kitten most popular?

Kitten reached its peak popularity in 1946, ranking #3,994 that year with 7 babies given the name.

Is Kitten a unisex name?

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

What names go well with Kitten?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Kitten include Richardean, Georgea, Geraldeen. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Kitten

Kitten is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1942 and has accumulated 54 births in the dataset. Kitten's peak popularity came in 1946 when it ranked #3,994. Use the chart and map above to compare Kitten'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.