Cathay Hisao Migo (, a Japanese botanist) published a paper describing "Iris cathayensis" (meaning "Chinese iris") in the "Journal of the Shanghai Science Institute". Below is the etymological progression from Khitan to Cathay as the word travelled westward: In many Turkic and Slavic languages a form of "Cathay" (e.g., , "Kitay") remains the usual modern name for China. In Javanese, the word ꦏꦠꦻ (Katai, Katé) exists, and it refers to 'east asian', literally mean 'dwarf' or 'short-legged' in today's language. "Travels in the Land of Kublai Khan" by Marco Polo has a story called "The Road to Cathay". In the English
Cathay de Grande name at the Cathay after going by the name Tony Flow and the Miraculously Majestic Masters of Mayhem for their two previous performances at another Hollywood club. They would play the Cathay a few times during their first tour in 1983 and once in 1984. Other bands who frequently played the Cathay included The Minutemen, Bad Religion, Tex and the Horseheads, Dr. Know, The WILD, Entropy, along with regulars from Orange County Social Distortion, T.S.O.L., The Vandals, Agent Orange and Love Canal. The Knitters played their first gig at the Cathay. The Cathay was dubbed by one newspaper in 1984