What does Katya mean?
Katya is a Russian pet form of Yekaterina (Katherine), “pure.”
What does Nadya mean?
A Slavic short form of Russian Nadezhda ('hope'), from the Old Slavic word for hope. Used both as a nickname and an independent name.
Katya vs Nadya
Which is more popular?
Katya is more popular than Nadya today: about 42 US babies were given the name Katya in 2025, compared with 0 named Nadya.
| Katya | Nadya | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Pure | hope |
| Origin | Slavic | slavic |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | KAHT-yah | NAHD-yah |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1962 | 0 |
| Peak year | 2001 (146) | 2006 (115) |
| In 2025 | 42 | 0 |
| Trend | Declining | Declining |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Katya
Nadya
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Katya | Nadya |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 314 | 190 |
| 2010s | 663 | 625 |
| 2000s | 1,086 | 951 |
| 1990s | 729 | 421 |
| 1980s | 226 | 226 |
| 1970s | 106 | 118 |
| 1960s | 52 | 47 |
| 1950s | 0 | 28 |
| 1940s | 0 | 31 |
| 1930s | 0 | 5 |
| 1910s | 0 | 5 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Katya or Nadya more popular?
Katya is more popular than Nadya today: about 42 US babies were given the name Katya in 2025, compared with 0 named Nadya.
What is the difference between Katya and Nadya?
Katya means Pure (Slavic origin), while Nadya means hope (slavic origin).
Which name is older, Katya or Nadya?
In US records, Katya first appears in 1962 and Nadya in 0, so Nadya has the longer recorded history.