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Kate

English, diminutive of Katherine
"pure"
Linda Rosenkrantz
By Linda Rosenkrantz
Updated Mon Sep 02 2024

Kate Origin and Meaning

The name Kate is a girl's name of English origin meaning "pure".

Kate, in the headlines via Catherine Middleton aka the Princess of Wales, has been as pervasive as Kathy was in the 1950s and 1960s, both as a nickname for Katherine and Kaitlyn and as a strong, classic stand-alone name.

Kate has an image that's independent, smart, and energetic, recalling Kate Hepburn, the heroine of The Taming of the Shrew/Kiss Me Kate, and contemporary Kates Winslet, Hudson, Moss, Spade and Beckinsale. Cate Blanchett has helped popularize that spelling of the name.

Kate is also the female equivalent of Jack as a favorite character name in the movies, TV, and books. It's down-to-earth yet classy, common yet cool.

Kate has always been, and remains, mega popular in Ireland.

# 478 in the US

Kate Rank in US Top 1000

# 274 on Nameberry

Kate Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

Kate Popularity

Famous People Named Kate

  • Catherine Elizabeth "Kate" MiddletonDuchess of Cambridge
  • Kate Elizabeth WinsletEnglish actress
  • Catherine Ann "Kate" BosworthAmerican actress
  • Kathrin Romary "Kate" BeckinsaleEnglish actress
  • Katherine Kiernan Maria "Kate" MulgrewAmerican actress
  • Catherine "Kate" BushEnglish singer,songwriter
  • Kathleen "Kate" CapshawAmerican actress
  • Kate CaryEnglish novelist
  • Kate Elliottpen name of American novelist Alis A. Rasmussen
  • Katherine "Kate" ChopinAmerican author
  • Kate Wolf (born Kathryn Louise Allen) American singersongwriter
  • Katrina Elizabeth "Kate" DiCamilloAmerican children's novelist
  • Katie Irene "Kate" GosselinAmerican TV personality
  • Kate Garry HudsonAmerican actress
  • Kate Rooney MaraAmerican actress; sister of Rooney Mara
  • Kathleen Mary Louise "Kate" O'BrienIrish novelist
  • Kate O'TooleIrish actress
  • Catherine Elizabeth "Kate" PiersonAmerican singer
  • Katherine Noel "Kate" SpadeAmerican fashion designer
  • Kate Victoria "KT" TunstallScottish singer,songwriter
  • Katherine Elizabeth "Kate" UptonAmerican supermodel
  • Kate MicucciAmerican singer, songwriter, and actress
  • Kate AtkinsonEnglish novlist
  • Kathleen Erin "Kate" WalshAmerican actress
  • Kathryn "Kate" McKinnonAmerican actress and comedian
  • Kate MossEnglish supermodel
  • Katrien "Kate" RyanBelgian singer
  • Kate Anna RusbyEnglish singer,songwriter
  • Kate Tsui (Tszshan), Hong Kong actress; Miss Hong Kong 2004
  • Kate ToddCanadian actress and singer
  • Kate TaylorAmerican singer
  • Katherine Patricia "Kate" FlanneryAmerican actress
  • Kate Marie NashEnglish singer,songwriter
  • Kathryn "Kate" SmithAmerican singer
  • Kate Lauren FrenchAmerican actress
  • Kate del CastilloMexican Actress
  • Kate VernonCanadian actress
  • Kate LeveringAmerican actress
  • Kate Lynn NautaAmerican model and actress
  • Patricia Colleen "Kate" NelliganCanadian actress
  • Kate ZambrenoAmerican novelist
  • Kate Marie ZieglerAmerican swimmer
  • Kate Elizabeth VoegeleAmerican singer
  • Kate JenkinsonAustralian actress
  • Kate EarlAmerican singer
  • Kate IsittEnglish actress
  • Kate O'HearnCanadian novelist
  • Kate AshfieldBritish actress
  • Kate O'Mara (born Frances Meredith Carroll)English actress
  • Kate WhiteAmerican editor and novelist
  • Kate Elizabeth HansenAmerican luger
  • (Lucy) Kate JacksonAmerican actress
  • Elli Kate NorkettWelsh Rugby player
  • Kate Griffiths (b. 2012)daughter of YouTube vloggers Beau & Emily Griffiths from the channel A Griffiths Life Vlogs

Kate in Pop Culture

  • Katherina "Kate" Minolamain character in Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew"
  • 'Kiss Me Kate'musical by Cole Porter based on "The Taming of the Shrew"
  • Kate Lloydcharacter in "The Thing" series
  • Katherine "Kate" Austenmain character on TV's "Lost"
  • Kate Wetherallcharacter in "The Mysterious Benedict Society" by Trenton Lee Stewart
  • Kate/Katarinecharacter in book series "The City of Flamespell"
  • Kate "Puck" Connollycharacter in "The Scorpio Races" by Maggie Stiefvater
  • Katetext editor for KDE software
  • Kate Gordoncharacter in "The Basic Eight" by Daniel Handler
  • Kate Randallcharacter on TV's "Pretty Little Liars"
  • Kate Pearsoncharacter on TV's "This Is Us"
  • Kate Danielstitle character in book series by Ilona Andrews
  • Kate Bettanymain character on British TV's 'Bedlam'
  • Kate Lockleya minor character on TV's 'Angel'
  • Katecharacter in James Patterson's Maximum Ride
  • "Kissing Kate" novel by Lauren Myracle
  • Katherine "Kate" Kavanaghminor character in '50 Shades of Grey'
  • Katherine "Kate" Fitzgeraldcharacter in Jodi Picoult's "My Sister's Keeper"
  • Caitlin "Kate" Toddcharacter on TV's "NCIS"
  • Kate Monstercharacter in musical 'Avenue Q'
  • Katherine "Kissin' Kate" Barlowcharacter in Louis Sachar's "Holes"
  • Katherine "Kate" Beckettcharacter on TV's 'Castle'
  • Kate Bishop aka HawkeyeMarvel comics character
  • Kate Curtischaracter in movie "2012"
  • Kate Moreaucharacter on TV's "White Collar"
  • Kate Reedcharacter on TV's "Fairly Legal"
  • Kate Moretticharacter on TV's "Perception"
  • Kate Callahancharacter on TV's "Criminal Minds"
  • Kate Watzenmain character in Shelly Jarvis' "The Dreamwalker."
  • Kate Flemingcharacter on British TV series "Line of Duty"
  • Kate aka Offredcharacter in film version of Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale"
  • "Kate Is Great"song by Bouncing Souls
  • "Kate" song by Ben Folds Five
  • "Kate Crackernuts" English fairy tale and its main character
  • "Kate" novel by Valerie Sherrard
  • Katherine "Kate" Sanderscharacter in TV series "Lizzie McGuire"
  • Kate Beverly Marshcharacter in video game "Life Is Strange"
  • Kate Harkermain character in Monsters of Verity by Victoria Schwab
  • Kate McRearycharacter in the video game "Grand Theft Auto 4"
  • Kate (The Chaser)a character from Slender: The Arrival

Kate in Nameberry Blog Posts