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Home › Baby Names Directory › Cattleya

Cattleya

♀ Girl

Pronounced KAT-lee-uh /ˈkæt.li.ə/High

Meaning: A genus of tropical orchids, named after English horticulturist William Cattley (1788–1835)High

In 30 seconds: A botanical name drawn from the Cattleya orchid genus, named after 19th-century English horticulturist William Cattley. Known as the 'queen of orchids,' the Cattleya is among the most prized flowers in the world.
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Origin HighEnglish
MeaningA genus of tropical orchids, named after English horticulturist William Cattley (1788–1835)
U.S. rank (2024)#905 ↗ Rising
2024 U.S. births292 girls (0.02% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2024
Total births (all-time)≈ 1,897

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202420112024

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

Cattleya is the name of a large genus of epiphytic orchids native to Central and South America, established by botanist John Lindley in 1824 in honor of William Cattley, an English plant collector and patron of botany. The flowers became enormously fashionable in Victorian England.

Cattleya is found as a given name in Brazil and the Philippines, where orchid names have a tradition of use. It has appeared in U.S. birth records in small numbers, reaching #905 for girls in 2024 — reflecting both the growing diversity of the American naming landscape and the broader trend for botanical names.

Did you know? Cattleya orchids are named for William Cattley, who grew the first Cattleya labiata from packing material used to cushion other exotic plants — he noticed the unusual stems, cultivated them, and was rewarded with spectacular blooms.
Overall data confidence 90%
Royal Horticultural Society — Cattleya — botanical history of the genus and William CattleyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

KatleyaKatleiya

Nicknames

CatCattiLeya

Famous Bearers

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If you like Cattleya…

Violet— floral name with the same botanical elegance
Flora— Latin goddess-of-flowers name sitting alongside botanical names
Azalea— exotic flowering shrub name in the same category
Camellia— Victorian botanical name with a similar elegant feel

Explore names like Cattleya

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Cattleya mean?

Cattleya is a genus of tropical orchids named for English horticulturist William Cattley (1788-1835). As a name, it carries the beauty and rarity of the 'queen of orchids.'

How do you pronounce Cattleya?

It's said KAT-lee-uh — three syllables, stress on the first.

Is Cattleya a boy or girl name?

Cattleya is used as a girls' name.

How popular is Cattleya?

Cattleya ranked #905 for U.S. girls in 2024.

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