Kataleya
Meaning
variant of Cataleya, from the Cattleya orchid (named for horticulturist William Cattley); popularized by the 2011 film Colombiana
The story
Kataleya is a variant of Cataleya, which is itself the Cattleya orchid respelled, a genus of Central and South American flowers named for the British horticulturist William Cattley. Behind the Name is direct about the spark: the name was popularized by the main character of the 2011 film Colombiana. The records agree with the timestamp: no appearance in the published record before the 2010s, about 1,900 girls that decade, and about 2,900 so far in this one, already past the whole 2010s total with years to spare. That makes Kataleya one of the youngest names in these pages, and one of the most honest: a flower, a film, and a K where the botany book keeps a C. The orchid itself is spectacular. Some names are heirlooms. This one is a bouquet, barely a teenager, and climbing.
Popularity, 1890–2024
Shape drawn from US Social Security baby-name records. Kataleya has stayed rare in US records the whole time: no peak decade to name.
When you meet Kataleya
Most people given the name Kataleya in the United States are children or teenagers today. The name belongs to this generation.
Estimated from US Social Security birth registrations and typical lifespans; a rough guide, not a rule.
The Kataleya deep dive
Whether you’re naming a baby or exploring your own name’s history, this is a personal letter, not a list: where Kataleya truly comes from, how it traveled, and what a century of records reveals. If you have grown a tree on nametree, it also considers how Kataleya fits with your family’s names and surname.
Does Kataleya fit YOUR family?
nametree reads your family’s names and finds the ones that belong. Free, private, no ads.
Add Kataleya to your family’s tree →