Katie

At a Glance: Name: Katie – Meaning: diminutive of Katherine/Kate; root meaning disputed – Origin: English – Gender: Girl – Pronunciation: KAY-tee

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Katie is a clean, modern take on Katherine or Kate, an English name whose root meaning is actually disputed. You may see it claimed that Katie means 'pure' — but like Katherine, that's folk etymology, not a confirmed root, so it's best not to lean on it. Pronounced KAY-tee (/ˈkeɪti/), it's a name with a long, documented history in the U.S.

Meaning & Origin of Katie

Meaning: Diminutive of katherine/kate; root meaning disputed.

Origin: English.

A common claim: Said to mean 'pure' Actually: As with Katherine, 'pure' is folk etymology, not a confirmed root.

Source: Wiktionary.

How to Pronounce Katie

Phonetic: KAY-tee   IPA: /ˈkeɪti/

Popularity of Katie

Katie peaked at #38 in 1986, with 8,333 babies given the name that year; by 2024 it had fallen to #582, with just 518.

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1880–2024.

Make Katie Name Art

Free printable nursery art for Katie, 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.

• Briar
• Bunny
• Cady
• Dawn
• Dove
• Edie

FAQ

What does the name Katie mean?

Diminutive of katherine/kate; root meaning disputed. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Katie)

How do you pronounce Katie?

Katie is pronounced KAY-tee (IPA: /ˈkeɪti/).

Is Katie a popular name right now?

Katie peaked at #38 in 1986 and is ranked #582 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)

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