Cathay
Turkic · Girl · 2 syllables
Popularity & facts
Relative popularity index, 2010–2025Popularity over time
Popularity indexHistorical popularity from 1880–2025 · US Social Security Administration data
About the name Cathay
The name 'Cathay' is not a personal given name but a historical exonym for China, derived from the medieval Latin *Cataya*, itself from the Old Turkic *Qitay* (referring to the Khitan people).
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Etymology
The name 'Cathay' is not a personal given name but a historical exonym for China, derived from the medieval Latin *Cataya*, itself from the Old Turkic *Qitay* (referring to the Khitan people). It is not used as a given name in any culture or religion, but historically appears in European literature (e.g., Marco Polo's writings) as a poetic or archaic term for China, with no religious significance.
Cathay currently ranks #5,773 in the United States as a girl's name. It reached its peak popularity around 1947.
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Sibling name ideas
Medieval European names that sit beautifully beside CathaySimilar names you might like
Names starting with CMore names starting with C
- Cadee
- Caitlen
- Calise
- Cadey
- Caidence
- Caisey
- Caiya
- Cahya
- Calah
- Calletano
- Caladin
- Caldwell
- Caleo
- Caffey
- Caliah
- Caline
- Calicia
- Camalla
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