Fun Facts About the Name Catalea
- 204 babies named Catalea: U.S. records list 204 babies given the name Catalea from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Catalea Mean?
Catalea is a variant spelling of Cataleya, which in turn corresponds to Cattleya, the botanical name of a genus of tropical American orchids. The genus was named for William Cattley, an English merchant and plant grower who cultivated exotic species near London in the early 1800s, and it joins his surname to the Latin -a ending regularly used for plant genera. The literal sense is therefore "Cattley's plant" or "Cattley's orchid," not a phrase inherited from an older language.
The surname Cattley is English, and its own earlier origin is uncertain and has no settled translation. As a result the name has no inherited meaning beyond this botanical tribute. The spelling Catalea shortens the expected -leya ending into -lea.
Catalea Name History & Origins
Cattleya orchids are native to Central and South America, and plants sent to Britain in the early nineteenth century became prized by Victorian growers. The botanical name passed into horticultural writing, and from it the given name Cataleya came into use in English-speaking countries. Catalea is a later, simplified respelling that keeps the general sound of the name while shortening its middle.
The name drew wider public attention after the 2011 film Colombiana, whose central character is named Cataleya; that is a well-known use of the name rather than a record of where it began. Spellings such as Cataleya, Cattleya, and Catalea appear side by side, and the shortened form is best understood as an alternate spelling of the same orchid-derived name rather than a separate name with its own history.
How Popular is the Name Catalea?
Catalea has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2025. Its best rank was #5,755 in 2025.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #5,755 | 21 | 0.0013% |
| 2024 | #6,192 | 19 | 0.0012% |
| 2023 | #6,465 | 18 | 0.0011% |
| 2022 | #7,711 | 14 | 0.0009% |
| 2021 | #8,118 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 2020 | #7,286 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2019 | #8,695 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2018 | #5,824 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 2017 | #10,862 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2016 | #9,001 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2015 | #9,060 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2014 | #11,166 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2013 | #11,200 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2012 | #6,387 | 20 | 0.0011% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Catalea Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are cheerful and friendly, but are apt to have an emotional life. You like to have several lines of effort going at once. You are a good talker and promoter and seldom worry over anything. At times, you can be impatient, and impulsive. You have the ability to bring an idea to completion. You can express yourself joyously and constructively. You might be psychic, but not know it. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You are very intuitive. You have a reservoir of inspired wisdom combined with inherited analytical ability, which could reward you through expressions of spiritual leadership, business analysis, marketing, artistic visions, and scientific research. Operating on spiritual side of your individuality can bring you to the great heights, and drop you off if you neglect your spiritual identity. You are always looking for an opportunity to investigate the unknown, to use and show your mental abilities, to find the purpose and meaning of life. You want to grow wise and to understand people and things. You need privacy to replenish your energy. You have a unique way of thinking, intuitive, reflective, absorbing.
✦ Catalea's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Catalea's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.