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Katherine

Gender: Feminine
Usage: English

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Meaning & History

From the Greek name Αἰκατερίνη (Aikaterine). The etymology is debated: it may derive from an earlier Greek name Ἑκατερινη (Hekaterine), itself from ἑκάτερος (hekateros) meaning "each of the two"; it could come from the name of the goddess Hecate; it might be related to Greek αἰκία (aikia) meaning "torture"; or it could stem from a Coptic name meaning "my consecration of your name". In the early Christian era it became linked to Greek καθαρός (katharos) meaning "pure", and the Latin spelling shifted from Katerina to Katharina to reflect this.

The name was borne by a semi-legendary 4th-century saint and martyr from Alexandria who was tortured on a spiked wheel. Initially venerated in Syria, returning crusaders brought the name to Western Europe. It has been common in England since the 12th century in many spellings, with Katherine and Catherine becoming standard in the later Middle Ages. Both spellings remain widely used in the English-speaking world. In the United States, Katherine has been the more popular spelling since 1973.

Notable bearers include Catherine of Siena, a 14th-century mystic, and Catherine de' Medici, a 16th-century French queen. Three of Henry VIII's wives bore this name, including Katherine of Aragon, as did two empresses of Russia, including Catherine the Great.

Related Names

Variants Catharine, Catherine, Cathryn, Katharyn, Katheryn, Kathryn, Catherin, Catherina, Catrina, Katharine, Katherina, Katheryne, Katrina
Diminutives Cat, Cathie, Cathy, Kat, Kate, Katey, Kathi, Kathie, Kathy, Katie, Katy, Kay 1, Kaye, Kit, Kittie, Kitty, Cate, Kae, Kaety, Katee
Other Languages & Cultures (Russian): Katerina
(Ancient Greek): Aikaterine
(Hungarian): Katalin
(Basque): Kattalin
(Belarusian): Katsiaryna
(Ukrainian): Karyna
(Breton): Katarin, Katell
(Macedonian): Katina
(Russian): Ekaterina
(Ukrainian): Katia, Katya
(Italian): Caterina
(Spanish): Catalina
(Swedish): Katarina
(Hungarian): Kata
(Croatian): Kate
(Slovene): Katica
(Swedish): Katja, Tina
(Czech): Kateřina
(Swedish): Karin
(Slovak): Katka
(Swedish): Cathrine, Catrine
(Norwegian): Kathrine, Katrine
(Danish): Caja
(Swedish): Carina 2, Ina, Kaja 1
(Norwegian): Karen 1
(Swedish): Karina, Katharina
(Danish): Trine
(Swedish): Catharina
(Dutch): Katrien, Katrijn, Cato 2
(Hungarian): Katinka
(Italian): Rina 1
(Dutch): Rini, Riny, Tineke, Trijntje
(Estonian): Kadri 1
(Finnish): Katariina
(Estonian): Kätlin
(Swedish): Katrin
(Estonian): Kadi, Kai 2
(Norwegian): Kaia
(Estonian): Kaidi, Kaie
(Finnish): Kaisa
(Hungarian): Kati
(Estonian): Riin
(Finnish): Riina
(Estonian): Triin, Triinu
(Finnish): Katriina, Iina 1, Kaarina, Kaija, Katri
(Flemish): Katelijn, Katelijne
(French): Catherine, Carine, Karine 1
(Frisian): Nienke, Nine, Nynke
(Portuguese): Catarina
(Galician): Catuxa
(Georgian): Eka 2, Ekaterine
(German): Katherina, Cathrin
(Welsh): Catrin
(German): Katarine, Katharine, Käthe, Kathrin
(Greek): Aikaterini, Ekaterini, Kaiti, Keti 2
(Hawaiian): Kakalina, Kalena
(History): Kateri
(Hungarian): Katalinka, Kató, Kitti
(Icelandic): Katrín
(Irish): Caitlín, Caitlin, Caitríona, Cathleen
(Scottish): Catriona
(Irish): Kathleen
(Scottish): Katriona
(Irish): Cáit, Caitria, Ríona, Tríona
(Italian): Catia, Katiuscia
(Latvian): Katrīna, Karīna, Keita 2, Ketija, Kitija
(Lithuanian): Kotryna, Katrė
(Maori): Kataraina
(Medieval French): Cateline
(Norwegian): Kari 1, Karine 2
(Polish): Katarzyna, Kasia
(Portuguese): Cátia
(Romanian): Cătălina, Catina, Catrinel, Ecaterina
(Russian): Jekaterina, Katenka, Katyusha, Yekaterina
(Sardinian): Caderina
(Scottish): Catrina, Katrina
(Scottish Gaelic): Caitrìona
(Slovak): Katarína
(Slovene): Inja
(Spanish): Lina 2
(Spanish (Latin American)): Katalina, Katiuska
(Swedish): Cajsa, Carin, Kajsa
(Ukrainian): Kateryna
(Welsh): Cadi

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