Katie is a name of Irish origin and it means "pure" or "clear". It is often considered to be a diminutive form of the name Catherine, which itself has Latin origins meaning "pure" or "clear".
The name Katie has been popular for centuries, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 13th century. However, it was not until the mid-20th century that Katie began to gain widespread popularity as a given name in its own right.
One of the most famous historical figures named Katie is Katie O'Hare, who became known as the "Woman Who Laid the Tracks" during the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway in the late 19th century. Legend has it that Katie laid down railway ties while her husband and fellow laborers drove spikes to secure them, allowing for faster progress on the railroad.
Today, Katie remains a popular given name for girls around the world. It is often associated with qualities such as honesty, clarity, and purity, reflecting its original meaning. While some people may prefer to use the full form of the name Catherine, others choose Katie for its simplicity and familiarity. Regardless of its origins or popularity, Katie remains a beloved name that carries a sense of strength and grace.
The name Katie has been a popular choice for parents in the United States over the past century and a half. In fact, it has seen a steady increase in popularity since it was first recorded as being given to more than 300 babies in the year 1880.
Over the next few decades, the number of births with the name Katie fluctuated slightly, ranging from around 279 births in 1881 to a peak of 580 births in 1898. However, it was not until the early 1960s that Katie began to gain significant traction as a popular girl's name.
In 1969, there were 617 births with the name Katie, and this number continued to rise steadily throughout the following decade. By 1974, Katie had become one of the top ten most popular names for girls in the United States, with over 1,100 births recorded that year.
The popularity of Katie as a girl's name reached its zenith in the late 1970s and early 1980s. In 1977, there were 2,506 births with the name Katie, and this number continued to rise over the next few years, reaching a peak of 8,333 births in 1986.
However, since then, the popularity of Katie has declined significantly. By the year 2000, there were only around 3,400 births with the name Katie recorded in the United States. This number continued to fall steadily over the next two decades, reaching a low of just 572 births in 2023.
Overall, it is estimated that the name Katie has been given to over 240,000 babies born in the United States since records began. While its popularity may have waned in recent years, there's no doubt that Katie remains a beloved and enduring name choice for parents across the country.