Cato
About Cato
Cato conjures up images of ancient Roman statesmen and southern antebellum retainers; it could have revival potential, with its 'O' ending and the current interest in the names of Greek and Roman antiquity.
The Roman statesman known as Cato the Elder was born Marcus Portius, the Cato added in tribute to his natural sagacity, practical wisdom and political expertise.
Cato appears in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar and, to go from the sublime to the ridiculous, in the Pink Panther movies--and Kato was The Green Hornet's valet. Cato is also a 21st century Hunger Games name, which could do more to spur its popularity than all its past history.
Pronounced CAY-toh.
As of October 2026, Cato ranked #2804 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #716 in 1891, Nameberry popularity #720.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank | Births | Per million |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #4,908 | 19 | 9.9 |
| 2015 | #4,314 | 23 | 12 |
| 2016 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 | #4,619 | 21 | 11.3 |
| 2018 | #3,461 | 32 | 17.6 |
| 2019 | #3,909 | 27 | 15 |
| 2020 | #3,280 | 34 | 19.7 |
| 2021 | #3,187 | 37 | 21.1 |
| 2022 | #3,162 | 38 | 21.8 |
| 2023 | #4,476 | 23 | 13.4 |
| 2024 | #3,048 | 40 | 23.2 |
| 2025 | #2,804 | 45 | 26.3 |
World rankings
Similar names
These 20 names were selected by our users looking for other names like Cato.
- Remus
- Lazarus
- Amadeus
- Oberon
- Castor
- Osiris
- Mordecai
- Ozias
- Tiberius
- Perseus
- Inigo
- Achilles
- Amias
- Octavius
- Casimir
- Icarus
- Aragorn
- Aurelio
- Adonis
- Idris
Cato on lists
Famous Catos
- Cato the Elder
Roman statesman
- Cato the Younger
Roman statesman, great,grandson of Cato the Elder
- Cato June
American football player
- Cato
patriot spy and courier during the American Revolution
Cato in pop culture
- Cato
the male tribute from District 2 in the first installment of "The Hunger Games" series portrayed by Alexander Ludwig
- Cato Fong
Inspector Clouseau's manservant in the Pink Panther movies
- CATO
NASA mission control position (Communications And Tracking Officer)
- Cato
minor character in Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar"
- Cato's Letters
series of essays by John Trenchard and Thomas Gordon
- Cato Neimoidia
planet in the Star Wars series
- Dr Cato
character in the Planet of the Apes movies
- Quintus Licinius Cato
protagonist in Simon Scarrow's "Eagles of the Empire" book series
Variations & nicknames
- CatonFrench