Katherine

Katherine

Catherine of Alexandria, by Carlo Crivelli. The name Catherine became famous in Christian communities because of this early saint.
Gender	Female
Origin
Language(s)	Greek
Other names
Nickname(s)	Kaight, Kate, Kath, Cat, Catt, Cate, Catey, Cath, Catie, Cayte, Kathy, Kathie, Kathi, Katie, Katey, Katy, Kay, Kat, Katya, Katyusha, Kati, Kit, Kitty, Kasia, Cathy, Cathie
Related names	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, 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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:

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)