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At a Glance: Name: Kate – Meaning: short form of Katherine (root meaning disputed) – Origin: English – Gender: Girl – Pronunciation: KAYT
Kate (pronounced KAYT) is an English name that began as a short form of Katherine, though the root meaning behind it is actually disputed rather than settled. You may see 'pure' listed as its meaning, but that's a later gloss tied to the Greek word katharos rather than a confirmed etymology. It has a clean, modern and timeless, classic feel — a short, clean name with a long history behind it.
Meaning & Origin of Kate
Meaning: Short form of katherine (root meaning disputed).
Origin: English.
A common claim: pure Actually: 'Pure' is a widely repeated folk gloss for Katherine-derived names; the actual root of Katherine is unresolved, and 'pure' reflects a later association with Greek katharos rather than a confirmed etymology.
Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.
How to Pronounce Kate
Phonetic: KAYT IPA: /ˈkeɪt/
Popularity of Kate
SSA records for Kate run from 1880 to 2024. It peaked at #79 in 1880 with 299 babies given the name, and by 2024 it ranked #535 with 569 babies.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1880–2024.
Make Kate Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Kate, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Kate mean?
Short form of katherine (root meaning disputed). (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Kate)
How do you pronounce Kate?
Kate is pronounced KAYT (IPA: /ˈkeɪt/).
Is Kate a popular name right now?
Kate peaked at #79 in 1880 and is ranked #535 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)
📊 How popular is Kate? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
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