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The short answer
Kate is a feminine name used in English and Croatian. Behind the Name describes it this way: "Short form of Katherine, often used independently. It is short for Katherina in Shakespeare's play The Taming of the Shrew (1593)." It ranked #522 for girls in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, short form of Katherine, often used independently. It is short for Katherina in Shakespeare's play The Taming of the Shrew (1593). The entry lists its usage as English, Croatian.
Editorial confidence: likely
Popularity
Kate ranked #522 for girls in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #522 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (English) and that sit near Kate in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Kate mean?
Behind the Name does not give Kate a one-word meaning. It describes the name as follows: short form of Katherine, often used independently.
Is Kate a popular name?
Kate ranked #522 for girls in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Kate a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Kate appears in the girls' list; Behind the Name labels it feminine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Kate — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
