How popular is the baby name Catalia in the United States right now? How popular was it historically? Use the popularity graph and data table below to find out! Plus, see all the blog posts that mention the name Catalia.

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Popularity of the baby name Catalia


Posts that mention the name Catalia

Popular baby names in Switzerland, 2022

Flag of Switzerland
Flag of Switzerland

Mountainous, landlocked Switzerland is located in the middle of Europe and surrounded by five other countries: Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, Italy, and France.

Last year, Switzerland welcomed 82,371 babies. What were the most popular names among these babies? Emma and Noah.

Here are Switzerland’s top 50+ girl names and top 50+ boy names of 2022:

Girl Names

  1. Emma, 361 baby girls
  2. Mia, 356
  3. Sofia, 318
  4. Emilia, 292
  5. Lina, 289
  6. Elena, 280
  7. Mila, 267
  8. Nora, 258
  9. Malea, 249
  10. Lia, 230 (tie)
  11. Olivia, 230 (tie)
  12. Ella, 222
  13. Anna, 219 (tie)
  14. Giulia, 219 (tie)
  15. Alice, 218 (tie)
  16. Lea, 218 (tie)
  17. Alina, 212 (tie)
  18. Lena, 212 (tie)
  19. Nina, 210
  20. Chiara, 208 (tie)
  21. Lara, 208 (tie)
  22. Luna, 195
  23. Leonie, 194
  24. Elina, 193
  25. Sophia, 192
  26. Yara, 186
  27. Julia, 185
  28. Laura, 182
  29. Elin, 178
  30. Valentina, 176
  31. Sara, 175
  32. Emily, 170
  33. Aurora, 168
  34. Amelia, 167
  35. Luana, 166
  36. Sophie, 165
  37. Livia, 151
  38. Elisa, 143
  39. Eva, 141 (tie)
  40. Juna, 141 (tie)
  41. Zoé, 138
  42. Mara, 133
  43. Victoria, 131
  44. Jana, 129
  45. Ronja, 128
  46. Lou, 127 (tie)
  47. Maria, 127 (tie)
  48. Ava, 126
  49. Charlotte, 124
  50. Alma, 123 (tie)
  51. Malia, 123 (tie)

Boy Names

  1. Noah, 540 boy names
  2. Liam, 428
  3. Matteo, 353
  4. Leon, 293
  5. Luca, 291
  6. Gabriel, 286
  7. Elias, 281
  8. Leo, 256
  9. Louis, 251
  10. Leano, 242
  11. Lio, 233
  12. Leonardo, 224
  13. Lian, 210
  14. Nino, 208
  15. Elio, 205
  16. Julian, 201
  17. Aaron, 199
  18. Nico, 197
  19. Elia, 196 (tie)
  20. Levi, 196 (tie)
  21. Samuel, 191
  22. Finn, 184
  23. Malik, 177
  24. Luan, 176
  25. David, 174 (tie)
  26. Leandro, 174 (tie)
  27. Mattia, 169
  28. Diego, 168 (tie)
  29. Milo, 168 (tie)
  30. Adam, 157
  31. Ben, 156
  32. Levin, 155
  33. Dario, 152 (tie)
  34. Nael, 152 (tie)
  35. Arthur, 151 (tie)
  36. Noé, 151 (tie)
  37. Jonas, 150 (tie)
  38. Lenny, 150 (tie)
  39. Mateo, 149
  40. Livio, 148
  41. Lucas, 145
  42. Robin, 144
  43. Enea, 138
  44. Nathan, 137
  45. Kian, 136
  46. Nelio, 134
  47. Mael, 128
  48. Tim, 127
  49. Theo, 126
  50. Enzo, 123 (tie)
  51. Laurin, 123 (tie)

The name Malea has risen significantly (among German-speakers almost exclusively) over the last twenty years. Malea debuted in the Swiss data in 2003, vaulted from outside the girls’ top 1,000 all the way to 261st in 2009, rose to the top 100 a few years later, and finally entered the top 10 in 2022. No doubt this rise was fueled by the trendiness of Mia, Emilia, and Mila. (Mia has ranked either #1 or #2 in Switzerland ever since 2011.)

The girls’ top 100 included Yuna (59th), Dua (66th), Melissa (84th), and Ida (97th).

The boys’ top 100 included Nevio (55th), Fabio (71st), Romeo (85th), and Timo (94th).

Switzerland, which is home to about 8.7 million people, has four national languages: German, French, Italian, and Romansh. Here are the top baby names among the speakers of each of these languages:

Girl NamesBoy Names
German speakers
(62.3% of the population)
1. Emilia, 273
2. Mia, 272
3. Malea, 243
4. Emma, 238 (tie)
5. Lina, 238 (tie)
1. Noah, 353
2. Liam, 266
3. Leon, 264 (tie)
4. Matteo, 264 (tie)
5. Leano, 241
French speakers
(22.8% of pop.)
1. Alice, 125
2. Emma, 107
3. Olivia, 86
4. Eva, 85
5. Sofia, 83
1. Noah, 168
2. Gabriel, 137
3. Liam, 136
4. Arthur, 102
5. Louis, 94
Italian speakers
(8.0% of pop.)
1. Sofia, 30
2. Aurora, 22 (tie)
3. Emily, 22 (tie)
4. Ginevra, 20
5. Nina, 17
1. Leonardo, 44
2. Liam, 26
3. Alessandro, 20
4. Noah, 19
5. Enea, 18
Romansh speakers
(0.5% of pop.)
1. Lia, 3 (tie)
2. Sofia, 3 (tie)
3. Elin, 2
1. Jan, 3 (tie)
2. Mauro, 3 (tie)
3. Andrin, Gian, Joel, Levi, Lino, Lio, 2 each (6-way tie)

And here’s a selection of names from the other end of the spectrum — names that were given to just two babies each in Switzerland in 2022:

Rare Girl Names Rare Boy Names
Airi, Berfin, Catalia, Demiana, Elikia, Franka, Gini, Hevi, Ilirida, Jemina, Kemilly, Lamia, Maluna, Nainika, Ornella, Pema, Qiana, Rhéa, Sinja, Tringa, Ursina, Vinia, Wilda, Xenja, Yanna, ZerinAthos, Bosco, Cuno, Divico, Eleano, Filmon, Gauthier, Hansueli, Ilio, Janic, Kauã, Lirim, Menzo, Nart, Orfeas, Pharell, Qamil, Rexhep, Surafiel, Tamino, Unejs, Vid, Wayne, Xhan, Yori, Zidane

Some definitions/explanations:

  • Hansueli is a Swiss-German combination of Hans (equivalent to John) and Ueli (a diminutive of Ulrich).
  • Lirim is based on the Albanian word liri, meaning “freedom, liberty.”
  • Maluna may have been inspired by a German children’s book series featuring a fairy character named Maluna Mondschein. (Her first name is an elaboration of luna, Latin for “moon,” while her last name is German for “moonshine.”) The six books, written by Andrea Schütze, were published from 2014 to 2019.

Finally, here’s a link to Switzerland’s 2021 rankings, if you’d like to compare last year to the year before.

Sources: First names of newborns – Federal Statistical Office, Switzerland – Wikipedia, Languages of Switzerland – Wikipedia, Behind the Name

Image: Adapted from Flag of Switzerland (public domain)

Where did the baby name Cataleya come from in 2011?

The character Cataleya from the movie "Colombiana" (2011)
Cataleya from “Colombiana”

The curious name Cataleya first appeared in the U.S. baby name data in 2011:

  • 2014: 695 baby girls were named Cataleya [rank: 460th]
  • 2013: 687 baby girls were named Cataleya [rank: 448th]
  • 2012: 639 baby girls were named Cataleya [rank: 480th]
  • 2011: 29 baby girls were named Cataleya [debut]
  • 2010: unlisted
  • 2009: unlisted

The next year, it jumped straight into the girls’ top 500. The jump was so big that it qualified Cataleya as the fastest-rising baby name of 2012.

Here’s the graph:

Graph of the usage of the baby name Cataleya in the U.S. since 1880.
Usage of the baby name Cataleya

The sudden trendiness of Cataleya inspired parents to create dozens of variant spellings, such as…

2010201120122013
Cataleya.29*639
[rank: 480th]
687
[rank: 448th]
Kataleya.10*197240
Cattleya.8*123124
Catalaya..51*57
Cattaleya..46*46
Catalia..35*29
Katalaya..32*37
Katalia..26*25
Kattleya..26*29
Catalea..20*9
Kataleah..17*10
Kattaleya..17*23
Katalea..16*19
Katalayah..12*.
Kathaleya..12*6
Cataleyah..11*22
Cateleya..11*8
Kataleyah..10*18
Kathalia..9*.
Cataleah..8*15
Kataleia..8*10
Kataliyah..8*8
Kataliya..7*8
Katilaya..7*11
Cataleia..6*5
Cataliyah..5*5
Catilaya..5*.
Catileya..5*.
Cathaleya...8*
Catalya...6*
Catelaya...6*
Kataleiya...6*
Cattalaya...5*
Kateleya...5*
*Debut

(Catalaya and Cattaleya were the second- and third-highest girl-name debuts of 2012, incidentally.)

So where did the name Cataleya come from?

The action thriller movie Colombiana, which was released in the summer of 2011.

The main character, Cataleya Restrepo (played by Zoë Saldaña), had witnessed her parents being murdered when she was a child in Bogotá. Fifteen years later, after being raised by an uncle in Chicago, she was working as a contract killer and seeking vengeance on the men who killed her family.

The character Cataleya from the movie "Colombiana" (2011)
Cataleya wearing her Cattleya necklace

The character was named after the orchid genus Cattleya (pronounced KAT-lee-uh). She wears a Cattleya necklace that had belonged to her mother, and leaves a lipstick drawing of a Cattleya on each of her victims as a calling card.

The genus Cattleya, native to the tropical rainforests of South America, was named in honor of British horticulturalist William Cattley. His surname, a variant of Catley, can refer to any of several places in England called Catley.

What are your thoughts on the name Cataleya? (How would you spell it?)

P.S. Zoë Saldaña also plays Neytiri in the Avatar films.

Sources:

Images: © 2011 Sony Pictures

Baby names with CAT: Catalina, Cathal, Ehecatl

cat amid snow

Are you a cat lover looking for baby names that contain the word CAT?

If so, you’re in luck!

Because today’s post is a long list — or should I say catalogue? — of names that contain the letter sequence “c-a-t.” Most of these names come directly from the U.S. SSA’s baby name data.

  • Annacatherine
  • Axayacatl
  • Catalda
  • Cataldo
  • Cataleya, Cataleyah, Cattaleya, Cataleia, Catileya, Cateleya
  • Catalaya, Catalayah, Cattalaya, Catilaya, Catelaya
  • Cataliya, Cataliyah, Cataleah, Catalea, Catalia, Catalya
  • Catalin
  • Catalina, Catalena, Cataleena, Catalyna
  • Catalino
  • Catana
  • Catania
  • Catara
  • Catarina, Caterina, Catterina
  • Catarino
  • Catasha
  • Catavia
  • Catch
  • Catcher
  • Cate
  • Catelin, Catelyn, Catelynn
  • Catello
  • Catenia
  • Catera, Caterra
  • Cateria
  • Caterin
  • Caterine
  • Catessa
  • Cath
  • Catha
  • Cathair
  • Cathal
  • Cathaleya, Cathalia
  • Cathalina
  • Cathaline, Cathalene, Cathaleen
  • Cathan
  • Cathay
  • Catheline, Cathelene, Catheleen
  • Cather
  • Catherina, Catharina
  • Catherine, Catherin, Catheryn, Catheryne, Catheren, Catherene, Catharine, Cathirine
  • Cathina
  • Cathleen, Cathline, Cathlene, Cathlean
  • Catherline
  • Cathia
  • Cathlina, Cathlena
  • Cathlin, Cathlyn
  • Cathreen
  • Cathrine, Cathrin Cathryn, Cathryne, Cathrynn, Cathren
  • Cathrina
  • Cathrinus
  • Cathy, Cathie, Cathey, Cathi, Cathee, Cathye, Cathe
  • Cathyann
  • Cathyjo
  • Cathylee
  • Cathyleen
  • Catia, Catya
  • Catiana
  • Catiche
  • Catie, Caty, Catey, Cati, Cattie
  • Catilla
  • Catina, Catena, Cateena Cattina, Catinna
  • Catine
  • Catinka
  • Catiria
  • Catisha
  • Catlin, Catlyn, Catlynn, Catlen
  • Cato
  • Caton
  • Catonya
  • Catori
  • Catoria
  • Catosha
  • Catoya
  • Catra
  • Catral
  • Catrana
  • Catrell, Catrel
  • Catrenia
  • Catressa
  • Catria
  • Catrice, Catrece, Catrese, Catrease
  • Catricia
  • Catrin
  • Catrina, Catrena
  • Catrinel
  • Catrinia
  • Catrinna
  • Catriona
  • Catrisha
  • Catrissa
  • Catron
  • Cattleya
  • Cattibrie
  • Catullo
  • Catullus
  • Catura
  • Caturia
  • Decatur
  • Ducati
  • Ecaterina
  • Ehecatl
  • Hecate
  • Marycatherine
  • Staccato
  • Tlaltecatzin
  • Tzilacatzin
  • Xicotencatl

Which names with CAT are the most popular in the U.S. right now? The top five are Catalina, Catherine, Cataleya, Cattleya, and Catarina — all girl names. (In fact, the only boy names with CAT in the data at the moment are Cato, Catarino, Cathan, and Catalino.)

Which CAT name do you like most? Let me know in the comments!

P.S. Did you know that Freddie Mercury was a cat lover as well? Here are the names of some of Freddie’s cats.

Image: Adapted from Felis catus-cat on snow by Von.grzanka under CC BY-SA 3.0.

The top girl-name debuts of 2012

lotus bud

Katniss and Daenerys have arrived, you guys! Time to start the party.

The debut name party, that is.

Here are the girl names that debuted the highest on the SSA’s 2012 baby name list:

  1. Kimbella, 52 baby girls
  2. Catalaya, 51
  3. Cattaleya, 45
  4. Daleyza, 41
  5. Aaradhya, 38
  6. Catalia, 34
  7. Katalaya, 32
  8. Katalia, 26
  9. Kattleya, 26
  10. Aayat, 23
  11. Karliah, 23
  12. Daenerys, 21
  13. Catalea, 20
  14. Iviona, 19
  15. Itzae, 18
  16. Kataleah, 17
  17. Kattaleya, 17
  18. Katalea, 16
  19. Nirvi, 15
  20. Brely, 14
  21. Merliah, 14
  22. Aamilah, 13
  23. Anabrenda, 13
  24. Carliana, 13
  25. Kinsler, 13
  26. Lynnley, 13
  27. Abishai, 12
  28. Adylee, 12
  29. Ahri, 12
  30. Brenlynn, 12
  31. Drayah, 12
  32. Jeiza, 12
  33. Katalayah, 12
  34. Kathaleya, 12
  35. Katniss, 12
  36. Sebella, 12
  37. Analeyah, 11
  38. Aubreelynn, 11
  39. Cataleyah, 11
  40. Cateleya, 11
  41. Ireoluwa, 11
  42. Jonier, 11
  43. Nahyla, 11
  44. Noomi, 11
  45. Payzlie, 11
  46. Renesmae, 11
  47. Yandy, 11

And a selection from the 10-babies-and-under group: Scarlettrose, Eevee, Venba, Eponine, Swayzi, Anemone, Aoibheann, Hunnie, Kambreigh, Mlak, Paislyn, Paislynn, Paizly, Parizoda, Adn, Alanoud, Annabellelee, Ayoola, Bellaluna, Callalily, Cataliyah, Catilaya, Catileya, Cymphonique, Eilonwy, Ellyot, Fiore, Goodness, Hannabella, Heartlynn, Inchara, Kymbella, Myjoy, Nymeria, Pfeiffer, Renezmae, Sorella, Timberlynn.

Where do the names above come from?

Here are some likely explanations:

  • Aaradhya – from the daughter of Indian actress Aishwarya Rai. The baby was born in late 2011, but not named until early 2012.
  • Catalaya, Cattaleya, Catalia, Katalaya, Katalia, etc. – variants of Cataleya, which debuted last year. (And which now happens to be skyrocketing in popularity.) Cataleya was a character in the 2011 movie Columbiana.
  • Daenerys – from “Game of Thrones” character Daenerys Targaryen. (Last year’s fifth-highest debut was her title, Khaleesi.)
  • Eponine – from Les Miserables character Eponine Thenardier.
  • Karliah – from a character in the video game Skyrim. (Another Skyrim name we’ve seen used as a baby name is Dovahkiin.)
  • Katniss – from Hunger Games character Katniss Everdeen.
  • Kimbella, Kymbella – from reality show “Love & Hip Hop” cast member Kimberly “Kimbella” Vanderhee.
  • Merliah – from Barbie in A Mermaid Tale 2 (2012) character Merliah Summers.
  • Noomi – from Swedish actress Noomi Rapace, who was in the 2011 movies The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.
  • Pfeiffer – from Michelle Pfeiffer…?
  • Renesmae, Renezmae – variants of Renesmee, which debuted in 2009. Renesmee is a character in the Twilight series.
  • Sebella – from the daughter of Puerto Rican actress Roselyn Sanchez. The baby was born in early 2012.
  • Yandy – from reality show “Love & Hip Hop” cast member Yandy Smith.

Can you come up with explanations for any of the others?

P.S. Here’s last year’s debut list.

Source: SSA

Image: Adapted from LotusBud0048a (public domain) by Frank “Fg2” Gualtieri