What does Zora mean?
Zora means “dawn” or “daybreak” in the Slavic languages.
What does Katya mean?
Katya is a Russian pet form of Yekaterina (Katherine), “pure.”
Zora vs Katya
Which is more popular?
Zora is more popular than Katya today: about 264 US babies were given the name Zora in 2025, compared with 42 named Katya.
| Zora | Katya | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Dawn | Pure |
| Origin | Slavic | Slavic |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | ZOR-ah | KAHT-yah |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1962 |
| Peak year | 2019 (353) | 2001 (146) |
| In 2025 | 264 | 42 |
| Trend | Rising | Declining |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Zora
Katya
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Zora | Katya |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 1,845 | 314 |
| 2010s | 1,662 | 663 |
| 2000s | 877 | 1,086 |
| 1990s | 176 | 729 |
| 1980s | 63 | 226 |
| 1970s | 93 | 106 |
| 1960s | 132 | 52 |
| 1950s | 290 | 0 |
| 1940s | 435 | 0 |
| 1930s | 651 | 0 |
| 1920s | 1,103 | 0 |
| 1910s | 1,155 | 0 |
| 1900s | 679 | 0 |
| 1890s | 626 | 0 |
| 1880s | 415 | 0 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Zora or Katya more popular?
Zora is more popular than Katya today: about 264 US babies were given the name Zora in 2025, compared with 42 named Katya.
What is the difference between Zora and Katya?
Zora means Dawn (Slavic origin), while Katya means Pure (Slavic origin).
Which name is older, Zora or Katya?
In US records, Zora first appears in 1880 and Katya in 1962, so Zora has the longer recorded history.