Katherine
- Catalina or Katalina
- Caitlín
- Carin or Karen
- Catarina or Katarina
- Catharina or Katharina
- Catharine or Katharine
- Cate or Kate
- Caterina or Katerina
- Caterine
- Catheryn
- Cathrin
- Catrin
- Catrina
- Catriona
- Cetherane
- Chatarina
- Ekaterina
- Katrina
- Yekaterina
Katherine (/kæθərɪn/), also spelled Catherine and other variations, is a feminine given name. The name and its variants are popular in countries where large Christian populations exist, because of its associations with one of the earliest Christian saints, Catherine of Alexandria.[1]
In the early Christian era it came to be associated with the Greek adjective καθαρός (katharos), meaning 'pure'. This influenced the name's English spelling, giving rise to variants Katharine and Catharine. The spelling with a middle 'a' was more common in the past. Katherine, with a middle 'e', was first recorded in England in 1196 after being brought back from the Crusades.[1]
Popularity and variations
Anglophone use
In Britain and America, Catherine and its variants have been among the 100 most popular names since 1880. Amongst the most common variants are Katherine and Kathryn. The spelling Catherine is common in both English and French. Less-common variants in English include Katharine, Catharine, Cathryn, Katheryn, Katharyn, Kathryne, Katheryne, Katherin, and Kathrine.[2][3][4][5]
Diminutives include: Katie, Katy, Kate, Kathy, Kathe, Kath, Kay, Kat, Katja or Katya, Kota, Katyusha, Katrya, Kitty, Kit, Kasia; many of these are also sometimes given as independent names.[1]
Kathleen or Cathleen, Anglicized forms of the Irish Caitlín, have become established in the US among people with no Irish background, but is less popular in England and Wales. The form Karen, of Danish origin, is now often considered an independent name in English.[1]
Language variants
The following is a list of various forms of the name Katherine, all ultimately associated with a common Greek-language origin of uncertain meaning but influenced by the Ancient Greek: καθαρός, 'pure'. These forms are in use as a given name in the language noted, or were formerly. The list includes short or pet forms (hypocorisms), associated with Katherine or one of its variants:
- Αἰκατερίνη (Ancient Greek)
- Aikaterine (Old French)
- Cadi (Welsh)
- Cáit (Irish)
- Caitlín (Irish)
- Caitlyn or Caitlin (English)[1]
- Caitria (Irish)
- Caitrín (Irish)
- Caitríona (Irish)
- Caja (Danish)
- Cajsa (Swedish)
- Caren (Welsh)
- Carin (English)
- Carina (Portuguese)
- Carine (French; Karien in Afrikaans)
- Caryn (English)
- Cat (English)
- Cát Linh (Vietnamese)
- Cătălina (Romanian)
- Catalina (Italian,[6] Spanish)
- Catherine, Katarina, Katherine (Indonesian)
- Catant (French)
- Catarina (Galician, Italian,[1][6] Portuguese, Spanish, Neapolitan)
- Cate (English)
- Cateline (Old French)[1]
- Cateliña (Galician)
- Caterina (Catalan, Italian, Romanian)[6]
- Caterine (Old French)[1]
- Cathanne (English, French)
- Cathareau (French)
- Catharina (Dutch, Swedish)
- Catharine (English)
- Catherin (English)
- Catherina (Spanish)
- Catherine (English, French)
- Catherne (17th century English)[1]
- Cathey (Nordic)
- Cathie (English)
- Cathleen (English, Hiberno-English)[1]
- Cathrin (German)
- Cathrine (Scandinavian)
- Cathrinus (Latinized, male)
- Cathryn (English)
- Cathy (English)[1]
- Cati (Italian)[6]
- Catia (Italian)[6]
- Cátia (Portuguese)
- Catie (English)
- Catina (Romanian)
- Catinca (Romanian)
- Catja (Danish)
- Catlin (Middle English)[1]
- Cato (Dutch)
- Catraoine (Irish)
- Catreena (Manx)
- Catreeney (Manx)
- Catrien (Dutch)
- Catrin (German, Welsh)
- Catrina (Romanian)
- Catrine (Swedish)
- Catrinel (Romanian)
- Catrìona (Scottish Gaelic)[1]
- Catterina (Italian)[6]
- Catuxa (Galician)
- Caty (Italian)[6]
- Ecaterina (Romanian)
- Eka: Georgian: ეკა
- Ekaterina: Екатерина (Bulgarian, Macedonian)
- Ekaterina, or Jekaterina, Yekaterina: Russian: Екатерина[1]
- Ekaterina (Latvian)
- Ekaterine: Georgian: ეკატერინე
- Gaa Fu Lin: 嘉芙蓮 (Hong Kong Cantonese)
- Gadara: (Armenian: Գադարա)
- Gadarine: (Armenian: Կատարինէ)
- Gáhteriinná (Sami)
- Gáre (Sami)
- Gáren (Sami)
- Jekaterina (Estonian)
- Kaarat (Greenlandic)
- Kaarin (Estonian)
- Kaarina (Finnish)
- Kaatje (Dutch)
- Kaća (Serbian)
- Kaciaryna: (Belarusian: Кацярына)
- Kadara: (Armenian: Կատարա)
- Kadarine: (Armenian: Կատարինէ)
- Kadi (Estonian)
- Kadri (Estonian)
- Kaety (English)
- Káhtariinná (Sami)
- Kai (Estonian, Swedish)
- Kaia (Estonian, Norwegian)
- Kaie (Estonian)
- Kaight (English)
- Kaija (Finnish)
- Kaila (English)
- Kailani (Hawaiian)
- Kaili (Estonian)
- Kailie (English, French)
- Kailua (Hawaiian)
- Kelavra: Greek: Καιλαύρα, Arabic: كلارا. (Also German)
- Kena: Greek: Καινά, Arabic: كائنا. (Also English)
- Kera: Greek: Καίρα; Arabic: كيرا
- Keri, Kerry: Greek: Καίρη; Arabic: كيري; Japanese: カイリ. (Also Hawaiian)
- Keria: Greek: Καίρια. (Also Arabic)
- Kairi or Kairia (Arabic, Estonian, Greek, Japanese)
- Kaisa (Estonian, Finnish)
- Kai Sa Lin: 凱薩琳 (traditional Chinese)
- Kai Se Lin: Chinese: 凯瑟琳 (simplified Chinese)
- Kaisu (Finnish)
- Kait (English)
- Kaitlan (English)
- Kaitlane (English)
- Kaitlin (English)
- Kaitline (English)
- Kaitlyn (English)
- Kaitlynne (English)
- Kaitrin (German, Swedish)
- Kaitrina (Dutch, English, German, Swedish)
- Kaity (English)
- Kaj (Swedish, male)
- Kaja (Scandinavian, Estonian, Polish)
- Kajsa (Swedish)
- Kakalina (Hawaiian)
- Kalena (Hawaiian)
- Kalina (Hawaiian)
- Katerina (Albanian)
- Kateryna, Katerina: Ukrainian: Катерина
- Kara (Arabic, English, Greek: Κάρα, Japanese)
- Káre (Sami)
- Káren (Sami)
- Karen: derived from the Danish short form of Katherine (Danish,[1] English,[1] German, Norwegian, Dutch[1])
- Karena (English)
- Karenina (English, Scandinavian, Russian)
- Karentina (English, Scandinavian, Russian)
- Kari (Norwegian)
- Karia (Norwegian)
- Karien (Afrikaans, Dutch, Carine in French)
- Kariinná (Sami)
- Karin (Afrikaans, Dutch, Estonian, Faroese, Finnish, German, Swedish)
- Karina (English)
- Karine (Կարինե Armenian; French)
- Karoun (Arabic, Armenian)
- Kary (Norwegian)
- Karyn (English)
- Karyna (English, Polish)
- Kasari: Japanese: 笠利
- Kasia: Belarusian: Кася
- Kat (English)
- Kata (Croatian, Finnish, Hungarian)
- Katalin (Basque, Hungarian)
- Katalina (Basque, Esperanto, Hungarian)
- Katariina (Estonian, Finnish)
- Katarin (Basque, Breton)
- Katarína (Slovak)
- Katarina (Bosnian, Croatian, Esperanto, German, Hungarian, Macedonian, Serbian, Slovene, Swedish)
- Katarine (German)
- Katarino (Esperanto)
- Katarzyna (Polish)
- Kate (Croatian, English)[1]
- Katelijn (Dutch)
- Katelijne (Dutch)
- Katelin (English)
- Kateline (Middle English)[1]
- Katell (Breton)
- Katelyn (English)
- Katelynn (English)
- Katelynne (English)
- Katen (Dutch)
- Katenka (Russian)
- Kateri (Mohawk)
- Katerien (Afrikaans, Dutch)
- Katerine (Old French)
- Keti: Greek: Καίτη
- Kety: Greek: Καίτυ
- Katia (Italian)[6]
- Kátia (Portuguese)
- Katia: Greek: Κάτια
- Kateřina (Czech)
- Katerina (Greek: Κατερίνα; Albanian, Bulgarian, Latin,[1] Macedonian, Russian, Ukrainian)
- Katerine (Middle English)[1]
- Katerino (Esperanto)
- Kateryna (Ukrainian)
- Katerynka (Ukrainian)
- Katey (English)
- Kathalavra: Greek: Καθαλαύρα. (Also German)
- Kathandra: Greek: Καθάνδρα
- Kathandrea: Greek: Καθανδρέα
- Kathani (Hindi, Arabic)
- Kathanna (English, German)
- Kathanne (English, French)
- Kathareau (French)
- Katharina (German, Latin[1])
- Katharine (English,[1] German, Dutch)
- Katharsia: Greek: Καθαρσία
- Käthe (German)
- Kathelijne (Dutch)
- Katherina (English, German)
- Katherne (17th century English)[1]
- Katheryn (English)
- Katheryne (English)
- Kathey (Gaelic)
- Kathi (English)
- Kathie (English)
- Kathianna (English)
- Kathianne (English)
- Kathlaura (English, German)
- Kathlauren (English, German)
- Kathlaurie (English, French, German)
- Kathleanna (English, German)
- Kathleanne (English, French)
- Kathleen (English,[1] Hiberno-English[1])
- Kathlyn (English)
- Kathreena (Malayalam)
- Kathrina (German)
- Kathrin (German)
- Kathru (Malayalam)
- Kathryn (English)
- Kathy (English)
- Kati (Estonian, Finnish, Hungarian)
- Katya, Katia, Katja: Russian: Катя; Ukrainian: Кейт
- Katica (Croatian, Czech, Serbian, Slovene, Hungarian)
- Katie (English)[1]
- Katika (Danish)
- Katina: Greek: Κατίνα
- Κatina, Katinja (Esperanto)
- Katinka (Afrikaans, German, Hungarian, Russian)[1]
- Katixa (Basque)
- Katja (Croatian, Dutch, Finnish, German, Russian, Slovene, Ukrainian)
- Katka (Czech, Russian)
- Káťa (Czech)
- Kačka (Czech)
- Kačenka (Czech)
- Katlyn (English)
- Kätlin (Estonian)
- Kato: Georgian: კატო
- Kató (Hungarian)
- Katóka (Hungarian)
- Katre (Estonian)
- Katri (Finnish)
- Katrian (Afrikaans, Dutch, Flemish Dutch)
- Katriana (Portuguese, Spanish)
- Katrianna (Danish, Dutch, English, German, Norwegian, Swedish)
- Katrianne (English, French)
- Katrien (Afrikaans, Dutch, Flemish Dutch)
- Katriin (Estonian)
- Katriina (Finnish)
- Katrijn (Dutch, also 'Katryn' in Afrikaans and German)
- Katriona (English)
- Katrin (Estonian, Faroese, German, Swedish)
- Katrina (English)
- Katrīna (Latvian)
- Katrine (Bulgarian: Катрин; Dutch, French, Scottish Gaelic,[1] Scandinavian)
- Katrinka (Dutch, German, Russian)
- Katrusia (Ukrainian)
- Katryn (Afrikaans, German, spelt in Dutch: Katrijn)
- Katushka (Russian)
- Katuška (Czech)
- Katy (English)
- Katya (Russian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian)
- Kay (English)[1]
- Kaye (English)
- Kerry (Hiberno-English)[1]
- Keta: Georgian: ქეთა
- Ketevan: Georgian: ქეთევან
- Keti: Georgian: ქეთი
- Ketlen
- Ketlin (Estonian)
- Keto: ქეთო (Georgian)
- Ketrina (Albanian)
- Kitty (English)[1]
- Koto (Hungarian)
- Kotryna (Lithuanian)
- Kyla (English)
- Kysa (Finnish)
- Nienke (Dutch)
- Nynke (Frisian)
- Reina (Japanese, Yiddish)
- Riin (Estonian)
- Riina (Estonian, Finnish)
- Rina (Croatian)
- Triin (Estonian)
- Triinu (Estonian)
- Trijn (Dutch)
- Trijntje (Dutch)
- Trina (German)
- Trinchen (German)
- Trine (Danish, German)
- Trīne (Latvian)
- Trinette (French)
- Tríona (Irish)
See also
- All pages with titles beginning with Catherine
- All pages with titles beginning with Katharine
- All pages with titles beginning with Katherine
- All pages with titles beginning with Kathrine
- All pages with titles beginning with Katie
- St. Catherine (disambiguation)
Notes and references
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af Withycombe, E. G. (1976). The Concise Dictionary of English Christian Names (3rd ed.). London: Omega Books. ISBN 1-85007-059-8.
- ^ Historical popularity statistics for United States
- "Top Names Over the Last 100 Years: 1922-2021". United States Social Security Administration. United States Government. Archived from the original on 13 April 2023. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
- "Top Names Over the Last 100 Years 1912−2011". United States Social Security Administration. United States Government. Archived from the original on 16 May 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
- For names given to girls 1912–2011, ranking positions were: Kathleen (33rd), Catherine (40th), Katherine (42nd), Kathryn (72nd).
- For the 100 years 1922–2021, ranking of the same names were: Kathleen (31st), Katherine (42nd), Catherine (48th), Kathryn (76th).
- ^ Recent (21st century) popularity statistics for United States―name variant with (rank) shown in brackets:
- United States Social Security Administration. "Popular Baby Names". Retrieved 17 April 2023.
- 2001: Katherine (35)
- Catherine (81)
- Kathryn (97)
- Kathleen (237)
- Kathy (716)
- Katharine (728)
- 2011: Katherine (61)
- Catherine (161)
- Kathryn (237)
- Kathleen (631)
- 2021: Katherine (158)
- Catherine (325)
- Kathryn (595)
- Kathleen (984)
- United States Social Security Administration. "Popular Baby Names". Retrieved 17 April 2023.
- ^ UK government Office for National Statistics. "Baby Names, England and Wales, 1904-1994". Retrieved 3 November 2012.
- ^ Popularity statistics for England and Wales for years 2001, 2011, and 2021―name variant with (rank) shown in brackets:
- UK government Office for National Statistics. "Baby Names in England and Wales, 2011". Retrieved 3 November 2012.
- "Baby names for girls in England and Wales". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
- 2001: Katherine (78)
- Catherine (98)
- Kathryn (136)
- Katelyn (240)
- Catrin (337)
- Kathleen (399)
- Katharine (480)
- Catriona (540)
- Katerina (584)
- Katlyn (962)
- 2011: Katherine (169)
- Catherine (233)
- Katlyn (615)
- Kathleen (714)
- Katerina (841)
- Catrin (989)
- 2021: Catherine (457)
- Katherine (478)
- Kathleen (983)
- The last appearance of Katharine in the top 1000 was in 2008 at a rank of 817th and a count of 410. There is no record of the spelling Catharine appearing in the top 100 girls' names in England and Wales.
- ^ a b c d e f g h De Felice, Emidio (1995) [1986]. Dizionario dei nomi italiani (in Italian) (3 ed.). Milan: Mondadori.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/99/Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg/40px-Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg.png)
- Name statistics for Northern Ireland:
- "Baby Names". Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. Government of the United Kingdom.
- Name statistics for Scotland:
- "Babies' First Names". National Records of Scotland. Government of the United Kingdom. 31 May 2013.