Kathy means pure — a diminutive of Katherine, from the Greek katharos. Kathy Bates won the Oscar for Misery — the most terrifying performance. Never Let Me Go's Kathy H. is one of literature's most devastating narrators. Kathy Griffin redefined comedy specials. Two syllables of Oscar-terror, Ishiguro's-most-devastating, and Griffin-redefined through the most compact pure-diminutive.
Kathy Bates won the Oscar for Misery — most terrifying.
Ishiguro's Kathy H. is literature's most devastating narrator.
Kathy Griffin redefined comedy specials.
Two syllables with a warm, friendly sound: KATH-ee.
The meaning pure carries Katherine-Greek depth.
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The vibe of Kathy
pureKatherineGreekkatharosBatesMiseryOscarIshiguroNever Let Me GoGriffin
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Origin & history of Kathy
Greek katharos (pure)→Katherine→diminutive Kathy
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Greek roots
Kathy is a diminutive of Katherine meaning pure. Kathy Bates won the Oscar for Misery. Ishiguro's Kathy H. is the most devastating narrator. Griffin redefined comedy.
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First recorded
Earliest known use: Diminutive; Kathy Bates (born 1948).
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Today
Kathy remains a beloved choice, ranking #2208 in the US. 334,823 babies have been named Kathy since 1910.
◈ Sources: Behind the Name, SSA data
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How popular is Kathy?
1958peak year
Today, Kathy is rarely chosen — ranked well outside the top 1,000 (around #2208), with only about 92 babies given the name per year. But it wasn't always this way. At its peak in 1958, 23,940 babies were given the name (ranked #14 nationally). Its strongest stretch was the 1950s. Kathy has been declining in recent years. In all, around 334,823 babies have been registered as Kathy since 1880.
Year-by-year registrations1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
Kathy's Life Path 3 is the communicator's number — devastating communication. People named Kathy tend to be warm, pure, and gifted at being terrifying, devastating, AND hilarious.
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