Kathe

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Kathe

Pronounced KATH-ee /ˈkæθ.i/Medium

Meaning: Kathe is a diminutive of Katherine, the Greek-rooted name traditionally read as 'pure' (from katharos), and it doubles as an English spelling of the German Käthe. Its meaning is inherited from Katherine; the short form itself is the mid-century contribution.Medium

In 30 seconds: Kathe is a short form of Katherine — Greek-rooted and traditionally read as 'pure' — and an English form of the German Käthe. It crested in the early 1950s.

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Origin MediumGreek, German

MeaningKathe is a diminutive of Katherine, the Greek-rooted name traditionally read as 'pure' (from katharos), and it doubles as an English spelling of the German Käthe. Its meaning is inherited from Katherine; the short form itself is the mid-century contribution.

U.S. rank (2005)#17816 ↘ Falling

2005 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1951

Total births (all-time)≈ 1,077

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

Kathe is a diminutive of Katherine, whose Greek root katharos is traditionally read as 'pure,' and it also serves as an English spelling of the German pet form Käthe. Given as a stand-alone birth name in the mid-twentieth century — part of the era's fashion for short Kath- forms alongside Kathy and Kathie — it crested in the early 1950s.

Kathe was always the rarer of the Kath- diminutives, borne by a modest number of girls before slipping away late in the century. A Kathe from her peak is now in her seventies. The name reads as mid-century, and while Katherine endures as a classic, the short Kathe spelling has not revived.

Did you know? Kathe carries a quiet artistic echo: the German form Käthe belonged to Käthe Kollwitz, one of the great printmakers of the twentieth century, whose name the American Kathe mirrors.

Overall data confidence 60%

References — Kathe — diminutive of Katherine; Greek katharos 'pure'; German Käthe; Käthe Kollwitz

Variations

KathyKathieKatharine

Nicknames

KathKathy

Famous Bearers

★Käthe Kollwitz (1867–1945)
German artist known for prints and sculpture depicting the poor and the sorrows of war.

If you like Kathe…

Kathy— the sister diminutive of the same era

Kathleen— a fuller Kath- name of the period

Katharine— the classic base name Kathe shortens

Kate— a like short form of Katherine

Explore names like Kathe

By themevintage diminutive 1950s

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Kathe mean?

Kathe is a short form of Katherine, whose Greek root is traditionally read as 'pure'; it also matches the German Käthe.

How do you pronounce Kathe?

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

Is Kathe a boy or girl name?

Kathe is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Kathe?

Kathe was an uncommon short form of Katherine that crested in the early nineteen-fifties and then faded.