Catherine - name meaning, origin

The girl's name Catherine \c(a)-theri-

is pronounced KATH-rin, KATH-er-in. It is of Greek origin, and its meaning is "pure". Variant spelling of Katherine. This form of the name is also used in France. Catharine is the English-only form. One of the great traditional names for women, with variations in many languages. The name of several saints and queens, including Catherine the Great, empress of Russia, Saint Catherine of Alexandria, and three of Henry VIII's six wives. Modern-day short forms are usually Katie instead of Cathy. Actresses Catherine Oxenberg, Catherine Deneuve, Katherine Hepburn, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Cate Blanchett; Australian track celebrity Cathy Freeman.

Catherine has 191 variant forms: Cait, Caitey, Caitie, Caitlin, Caitlinn, Caitrin, Caitrine, Caitrinn, Caitriona, Caitrionagh, Caity, Caren, Cari, Carin, Caron, Caronne, Carren, Carri, Carrin, Carron, Caryn, Carynn, Cass, Cassey, Cassi, Cassie, Cassy, Cat, Cataleen, Cataleena, Catalin, Catalina, Cataline, Catarina, Catarine, Cate, Cateline, Caterina, Catey, Catha, Cathaleen, Cathaline, Catharin, Cathatina, Catharina, Catharine, Cathatyna, Catharyne, Cathe, Cathee, Cathelin, Cathelina, Cathelle, Catherin, Catherina, Catherinn, Catheryn, Cathi, Cathie, Cathirin, Cathiryn, Cathleen, Cathlene, Cathline, Cathlyne, Cathrine, Cathrinn, Cathryn, Cathrynn, Cathy, Cathye, Cathyleen, Cati, Catia, Catie, Catlina, Catlaina, Catreena, Catrin, Catrina, Catrine, Catrine, Catriona, Catrionagh, Catryna, Caty, Cay, Caye, Cazzy, Ekaterina, Kait, Kaitey, Kaitie, Kaitlin, Kaitlinne, Kaitrin, Kaitrine, Kaitrinna, Kaitriona, Kaitrionaugh, Kaity, Karen, Karena, Kari, Karin, Karon, Karri, Karrin, Karyn, Karynn, Kasia, Kasienka, Kasja, Kaska, Kass, Kassey, Kassia, Kassy, Kasya, Kat, Kata, Kataleen, Katalin, Katalina, Katarina, Katchen, Kate, Katee, Katell, Katelle, Katenka, Katerina, Katerinka, Katey, Katinka, Katha, Katharine, Katharyn, Katharyne, Kathee, Kathelina, Katheline, Katherin, Katherina, Katherine, Katheryn, Katherynn, Kathi, Kathie, Kathileen, Kathiryn, Kathleen, Kathlene, Kathleyn, Kathline, Kathyleen, Kathrine, Kathrinna, Kathryn, Kathryne, Kathy, Kathyrine, Kati, Katica, Katie, Katina, Katka, Katla, Katlaina, Katleen, Katoushka, Katrena, Katrine, Katrina, Katriona, Katrionaugh, Katryna, Katushka, Katy, Katya, Kay, Kaye, Kit, Kittee, Kittie, Kitty, Trina, Trine, Trinette, Yekaterin and Yekaterina.

For more information, see also the related name Aikaterine.

Baby names that sound like Catherine are Katheryne, Kathrina, Kathrene, Kathirin, Catreina and Catharyna.

Catherine is a very common first name for women (#46 out of 4276) and a slightly less common last name for both men and women (#74288 out of 88799). (1990 U.S. Census)

Displayed below is the baby name popularity trend for the girl name Catherine. Compare Catherine with its variant forms and related girl names.

[Top]