Cathe

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Cathe

Pronounced KATH-ee /ˈkæθ.i/Medium

Meaning: Cathe is simply Cathy spelled without the final y, one of many mid-century tweaks to a familiar nickname. Cathy is short for Catherine, whose likely root is Greek 'katharos' meaning pure; Cathe carries that same pure sense.Low

In 30 seconds: Cathe is a respelling of Cathy, the nickname for Catherine ('pure'); it was given to only a couple dozen girls a year, peaking in the mid-1950s (said KATH-ee).

💕 Browse more names

Origin LowGreek, English

MeaningCathe is simply Cathy spelled without the final y, one of many mid-century tweaks to a familiar nickname. Cathy is short for Catherine, whose likely root is Greek 'katharos' meaning pure; Cathe carries that same pure sense.

U.S. rank (1972)#7396 ↘ Falling

1972 U.S. births6 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1954

Total births (all-time)≈ 255

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Cathe is a spelling variant of Cathy, itself the everyday short form of Catherine. Catherine most likely traces to Greek 'katharos,' pure, a meaning reinforced over centuries by Saint Catherine; Cathe inherits that sense while shortening the look.

It was never common, given to only a couple dozen girls a year at its mid-1950s high and gone from records by the early 1970s. A Cathe from that era is in her early seventies today; the parent Catherine endures, but this clipped spelling reads as dated.

Did you know? Cathe is one of a cluster of trimmed nickname spellings from the 1950s, sitting beside Kathe and Kathi as parents personalized a common short form.

Overall data confidence 35%

References - Cathe — Respelling of Cathy; Catherine from Greek 'katharos' pure

Variations

CathyKatheKathyCathie

Nicknames

CathyCat

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Cathe…

Cathy— the standard spelling of this nickname

Kathy— a same nickname, K spelling

Cathleen— a fuller related form

Katie— a like short form of Catherine

Explore names like Cathe

By themevintage respelling nickname-name

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Cathe mean?

It is a respelling of Cathy, the pet form of Catherine, from Greek 'katharos' meaning pure.

How do you pronounce Cathe?

It's said KATH-ee /ˈkæθ.i/, two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Cathe a boy or girl name?

Cathe is used as a girl's name.

Is Cathe a popular name?

No, it was always rare, a clipped spelling of Cathy seen mostly in the mid-nineteen-fifties.