Fun Facts About the Name Kachina
- 296 babies named Kachina: U.S. records list 296 babies given the name Kachina from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Kachina Mean?
Kachina is an English spelling of the Hopi word katsina, which refers to ancestral spirits and spirit beings in Hopi religion. The Hopi term is the source of the name and supplies its established meaning; Kachina has no separate English etymology. In Hopi belief, katsinam are spirit beings associated with rain, fertility, and the harvest, and they are represented in ceremonies by masked dancers. The same term underlies the English phrase kachina doll, though the Hopi word for the carved figure itself is tihu. The common gloss "sacred dancer" describes the masked dancers who personify the spirits rather than giving a literal translation of katsina.
Kachina Name History & Origins
The English word kachina was borrowed from Hopi katsina, a central term in Pueblo religion, especially among the Hopi of northeastern Arizona. The spelling kachina is an English rendering; Hopi writes katsina, and the English pronunciation kuh-CHEE-nuh differs from the Hopi form, which contains a ts sound. English-language writings on Pueblo ceremonies and the collecting of carved kachina figures became more common in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
As a given name, Kachina belongs to English-language naming rather than traditional Hopi practice: among the Hopi, katsina is a religious category, not a customary personal name. The name is therefore an English-language use of a borrowed Hopi term, not an inherited Hopi personal name. Its spelling has remained stable in English, while the Hopi form katsina is also used in anthropological and religious writing.
How Popular is the Name Kachina?
Kachina 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 1994. Its best rank was #3,815 in 1977.
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 | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | #18,655 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2004 | #17,354 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2000 | #9,500 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1999 | #7,011 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1998 | #9,662 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1997 | #6,317 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 1996 | #6,535 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1995 | #9,099 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1994 | #4,913 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1993 | #6,417 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1992 | #11,002 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1991 | #7,154 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1990 | #6,635 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1989 | #8,341 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1988 | #5,154 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1987 | #12,130 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1986 | #10,088 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1985 | #11,425 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1984 | #11,153 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1982 | #5,696 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1981 | #6,540 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1980 | #6,080 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 1979 | #6,966 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 1977 | #3,815 | 19 | 0.0012% |
| 1976 | #4,228 | 15 | 0.0010% |
| 1975 | #8,436 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1974 | #4,846 | 12 | 0.0008% |
| 1973 | #5,761 | 9 | 0.0006% |
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 Kachina Shapes Your Personality and Life?
EXTREMES in fortune, health and spirituality. You are very versatile, idealistic and intuitive. You either enjoy great success or suffer abject misery. The solution is service to others. Use your leadership abilities for humanity and not for self-glorification. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You are always looking for an opportunity to achieve financial and emotional security. You are basically peacemaker. You understand the law of harmony and desire to balance your life with those around you. You may feel incomplete without someone to share your love, ideals, wealth or work. You can be very sensitive and could appear a bit shy and perceptive. You have developed intuition, patience and the ability to nurture others. You can achieve the state of happiness if you are willing to accept your needs in a complimentary relationship and go to create them.
✦ Kachina's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Kachina's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.