Fun Facts About the Name Cataleya
- More than 11 thousand babies named Cataleya: U.S. records list 11,946 babies given the name Cataleya from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Cataleya Mean?
Cataleya is a modern given name best explained as a respelling of Cattleya, the name of a genus of tropical orchids. Cattleya is not a word with a dictionary meaning; it is a Latinized surname coined to honor the English horticulturist William Cattley. The name therefore works as a namesake rather than a translation - it points to the orchid and to the man it commemorates, not to a root word meaning "flower" or anything similar.
Some modern name lists also connect Cataleya to Catalina, the Spanish form of Katherine, which is usually explained as "pure." That link rests on the similar sound and spelling, not on documented word history, so it is a secondary and unproven suggestion. Apart from these two explanations, Cataleya has no separate root meaning of its own.
Cataleya Name History & Origins
The orchid genus Cattleya was named in the 1820s by the English botanist John Lindley in honor of William Cattley, a horticulturist and patron of botany. In the customary account, Cattley received tropical plants from South America packed in moss and other material, and when one of the orchid bulbs flowered in his greenhouse, Lindley described and named the genus after him. As the orchid became a familiar florist's flower, "Cattleya" entered English as a known word and later came into use as a given name, especially in Latin America.
The spelling Cataleya is a later, phonetic respelling of that name. The final -leya reflects an English reading of the orchid name rather than a distinct origin, and the form has been used as a given name in the United States and in Spanish-speaking countries mainly in recent decades. It is also the name of the central character in the 2011 film Colombiana. A well-known use in fiction like this is separate from the question of when the name first appeared in general use.
How Popular is the Name Cataleya?
Cataleya recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2025. Its best rank was #236 in 2024.
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 | #238 | 1,314 | 0.0818% |
| 2024 | #236 | 1,311 | 0.0813% |
| 2023 | #294 | 1,061 | 0.0662% |
| 2022 | #341 | 945 | 0.0577% |
| 2021 | #298 | 1,074 | 0.0655% |
| 2020 | #386 | 806 | 0.0499% |
| 2019 | #412 | 759 | 0.0452% |
| 2018 | #483 | 652 | 0.0383% |
| 2017 | #485 | 643 | 0.0373% |
| 2016 | #511 | 607 | 0.0343% |
| 2015 | #437 | 724 | 0.0406% |
| 2014 | #460 | 695 | 0.0389% |
| 2013 | #448 | 687 | 0.0392% |
| 2012 | #480 | 639 | 0.0363% |
| 2011 | #4,828 | 29 | 0.0016% |
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 Cataleya 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 seeking freedom, opportunities to enjoy life: to make love, to go places and to do things. You are very adventurous and willing to take risk to achieve your objectives. New ways and new experiences can't satisfy your restless nature. One adventure leads you to another. You are honest and fair, because you know that this is the only way to receive justice and honesty from other people. But your personal growth is vital for you, and it is difficult to be tied down by rules and obligations. Your restless spirit might best controlled by choosing the field of work that meet your demand for action and adventure.
✦ Cataleya's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Cataleya's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.