Kathi

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Kathi

Pronounced KATH-ee /ˈkæθ.i/High

Meaning: Kathi is a streamlined spelling of Kathy, the short form of Katherine, from Greek katharos, 'pure.' Trading the -y for an -i was a mid-century way to make the everyday nickname look a little more modern.High

In 30 seconds: Kathi is Kathy with a trendier -i ending (said 'KATH-ee'). It carries Katherine's meaning, 'pure.'

💕 Browse more names

Origin HighGreek, English

MeaningKathi is a streamlined spelling of Kathy, the short form of Katherine, from Greek katharos, 'pure.' Trading the -y for an -i was a mid-century way to make the everyday nickname look a little more modern.

U.S. rank (2001)#16614 ↘ Falling

2001 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1958

Total births (all-time)≈ 10,109

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

Kathi is one of the many short forms of Katherine given outright in the postwar decades. The parent name descends from Greek katharos, 'pure,' through generations of saints and queens. Kathi crested in the late fifties and had all but disappeared by the turn of the millennium.

A Kathi from her peak is now in her mid-sixties, a boomer-era name. The -i spelling dates her precisely; today's namers overwhelmingly choose Katherine or Kate, leaving Kathi a nickname of its time.

Did you know? Kathi peaked within a year of the -ie and -y spellings, at the height of a Katherine/Kathy boom so large that parents reached for every variant ending to set their daughter apart.

Overall data confidence 82%

References — Kathi — Pet form of Katherine (Gk katharos); late-1950s peak

Variations

KathyKathieCathy

Nicknames

KathiKate

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Kathi…

Katherine— the full parent name Kathi shortens

Kathy— the standard spelling of the same pet form

Cathy— a like short form with the same soft sound

Debbie— a same-era -y/-i nickname-name

Explore names like Kathi

By themerespelling nickname-name mid-century retro

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Kathi mean?

Kathi is a pet form of Katherine, from Greek katharos, 'pure'; it keeps that parent meaning.

How do you pronounce Kathi?

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

Is Kathi a boy or girl name?

Kathi is used as a girl's name, a short form of Katherine.

How popular is Kathi?

Kathi was a postwar favorite that peaked in the late fifties and has been rare since.