Kitty
Meaning
diminutive of Katherine, 'pure'
The formal names behind Kitty
Kitty is an established short form of each of these names.
Katherine · Greek origin · linked since early Christian times to katharos, "pure," though the name's true root is older and debated; borne by saints, empresses of Russia, and centuries of English queens consort. The K-classic behind Kate, Katie, Kay, and Kitty
Catherine · Greek origin · traditionally "pure"
Kitty around the world
One shared root links 26 names across 8 languages.
Shared root: from Greek Aikaterine, linked since early Christian times to katharos "pure", though the name's true origin predates that folk etymology
The constellation
18 more branches of this family
Popularity, 1890–2024
Shape drawn from US Social Security baby-name records. Kitty peaked in the 1890s and the 1960s in nearly equal measure.
See popularity in Brazil
Popularity in Brazil
56 people · the #61,636 first name in Brazil · median age 42
Among people named Kitty living in Brazil at the 2022 census, more were born in the 1980s than in any other decade.
Source: IBGE, Censo Demográfico 2022
When you meet Kitty
Most people given the name Kitty in the United States were born between 1940 and 1979. The Kitty you meet today is most often in her 60s or 70s.
Estimated from US Social Security birth registrations and typical lifespans; a rough guide, not a rule.
The Kitty deep dive
Whether you’re naming a baby or exploring your own name’s history, this is a personal letter, not a list: where Kitty 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 Kitty fits with your family’s names and surname.
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