Names › Girls' names › K › Kate

Kate

Meaning: short for Katherine · Origin: Greek · Gender: usually a girl's name

Origin & history

A short form of Katherine; Shakespeare's Kate in The Taming of the Shrew.

Famous people named Kate

Kate Winslet (actor)
Kate Bush (singer)

Nicknames

Katie, Kitty

Variants & related names

Cate, Katie, Kat

Kate name art

A free preview of a printable “Kate” poster with its meaning — great for a nursery, a birthday or a gift.

Instant download, no subscription. Not printed or shipped — you get a high-resolution PNG to print at home or at a print shop.

FAQ

What does the name Kate mean?

Kate means “short for Katherine”. It comes from Greek.

Is Kate a popular name?

Kate is a familiar girls' name in the UK and Australia. For exact current rankings, see the Office for National Statistics (England and Wales) and Australian state birth registries.

What are nicknames for Kate?

Katie, Kitty.

What are other forms of Kate?

Cate, Katie, Kat.

Similar names

Thea · Evangeline · Nicole · Alexis · Sophia · Chloe

More: names starting with K · all girls' names

Sources: standard name etymology references (e.g. Behind the Name, Oxford Dictionary of First Names); popularity from US SSA and UK ONS baby-name data. Meanings of old names are often debated — where scholars disagree we say so.