Gender: Feminine
Origin: Debated
Meaning: Debated

Katherine and Catherine have to be one of the quintessential female classics of the Western World, according to the United States Social Security Administration’s popularity charts, Katherine has not fallen out of the top 100 for over a 100 years. She has remained a staple, bouncing the lowest to 105th position in 1938 and bouncing the highest to the 25th place in 1991. She currently ranks in as the 45th most popular female name in the United States (2008). Her elder English and French counterpart, Catherine, comes in slightly lower, but has remained fairly high in the American charts since 1880. Her highest position being at # 18 in 1914 and then again in 1917 and came in the lowest just this past year, ranking in at # 149.

In other countries, the rankings of Katherine are as follows:

# 78 (Canada-BC, 2008)
# 63 (Chile, 2006)

Her popularity in other incarnations are as follows: (divided alphabetically by cited country)

Katharina (# 8, Austria, 2008)
Catalina (# 3, Chile, 2006)
Kateřina (# 7, Czech Republic, 2008)
Katrin (# 6, Faroe Islands, 2008)
Aikaterini (# 3, Greece, 2004)
Katrín (# 4, Iceland, 2004-2007)
Katie (# 2, Ireland, 2008)
Kate (# 10, Ireland, 2008)
Karin (9th most popular female name among Palestinian Christians in Israel, 2004)
Katharina (# 5, Liechtenstein, 2008)
Katerina (# 10, Macedonia, 2006)
Katie (# 1, Northern Ireland, 2008)
Yekaterina (# 1, Russia-St. Petersburg, 2003)
Yekaterina (# 6, Russia-Moscow, 2007)
Katie (# 8, Scotland, 2008)
Katarina (# 7, Serbia, 2005)
Katarína (# 4, Slovakia, 2004)
Kaitlyn (# 10, United States-Combined Spellings, 2007)

As for the etymology of the name, it has always been popularly believed to mean “pure” but its history and origins are far more complicated and muddled. There are several theories as to its derivations and linguistic origins, the most popular are that it is either derived from the Greek  word, ΚαΘαροσ, (katharos), meaning, “pure”, or the Greek Εεκατερινε, (Hekaterine), a feminine form of the Greek, Hekáteros, meaning “each of the two; singly.” It has also been suggested that it is a form of the Greek goddess name, Hecate, which means “from a far”, or it is possibly from the Greek word, αικια (aikia) meaning, “torture; injurious treatment.” According to Behindthename, another theory suggests that it could be from a Coptic name meaning “my consecration of your name.”

The name was introduced into Western Europe after European Crusaders encountered the Christians of the Middle East, among them, the devotion of a popular 4th-century, Christian saint was discovered, St. Katherine of Alexandria. According to legend, the saint was spiked and tortured on a wheel after refusing to deny her Christian convictions and converting several members of the Alexandrian royal family to Christianity. Her cult was very popular among Christians in Syria, many centuries before her story even reached Europe. After its introduction, European Latin scholars assumed that the name was associated with the Greek Katharos meaning “pure.”

The name was first recorded in England in 1196. It was thereafter an extremely popular name in Christian Europe.

Catherine has several name-days, but the most popular, and the most widely celebrated during the Middle Ages, took place on November 25th. There is an old French celebration that took place on November 25th.  It was a day for unmarried women, twenty-five years and older, (labelled Catherinette’s in French). They would make caps, attend balls and crown the local St. Catherine of Alexandria statue with a custom hat. This was to ensure that the saint would provide the single ladies a partner by the end of the year. The term “capping st. Catherine” was used in reference to a single woman 25 years and up. This tradition died out somewhat, but remains a popular festivity among hat-makers and dress-makers even till today, particularly in the 2nd arrondisment of Paris. Any women who is single, working in the fashion industry, 25 years old and older, can attend a ball in a specially made hat, and go to the City Hall to present their creations for judging.

Though the term is a bit old fashioned, catherinette is a French word used to refer to a single women who is 25 years and older.

Other notable bearers, place and things include:

Catherine of Aragon

Catherina is the name of a crater on the moon, named for St. Catherine of Alexandria.

The Monastery of St. Catherine’s in Sinai Egypt, which is said to be the oldest Christian monastery and boasts one of the largest collections codices and manuscripts in the world.

St. Katherine Municipality lies in the North Sinai Governorate of Egypt, its city is St. Katherine’s.

Saint Catherine of Siena (1347-1380), a renowned Catholic saint, theologian, Doctor of the Church and tertiary of the Dominican order. She was known for her mystical experiences and her papal counseling.

St. Catherine of Bologna (1413-1463) another Italian saint, she is considered the patron saint of Bologna, artists and against temptations.

Catherine of Aragon (1485-1536) the first wife of Henry VII of England. Actually, Henry went on to marry two other Catherines, Catherine Howard and Catherine Parr.

St. Kateri Tekakwitha (1656-1680) was a Catholic Algonquin woman affectionately termed Lily of the Mohawks, she was also the daughter of a chief. At a young age she was ravished by the scars of small-pox and lived a life of devotion till she died at the age of 24.

Now to delve into her sundry variations.

Latinate Forms

Variations from various Romance based languages

• Catèlena (Artapan)
• Catin/Catineta/Catinon (Bearnais)
• Caterina (Catalan/Italian/Spanish)
• Catalina (Corsican/Gascon/Occitanian/Spanish)
• Catherine (French)
• Katia (Italian: a borrowing from the Russian but very popular in Italy)
• Rina (Italian diminutive form, used as an independent given name)
• Catharina (Late Latin)
• Catarina (Portuguese/Occitanian/Galician/Romansch)
• Cátia (Portuguese: originally a diminutive form or either a Portugeusized form of the Slavic Katya, particularly common in Brazil, where it was most likely introduced by Russian and Ukrainian immigrants)
• Catarino (Provencal)
• Ninoun (Provencal: originally a diminutive, now becoming more common as an independent given name)
• Cătălina/Ecaterina (Romanian)
• Catinca (Romanian: a romanianized form of the Russian diminutive, Katinka, used as an independent given name)
• Catina (Romanian/Sicilian)
• Catrina (Romanian)
• Catrina/Chatrina (Romansch)
• Caderina/Catellina (Sardinian)

Obscure French diminiutives are Catherinette, Trinette and Rinette.

Germanic Forms
Variation from various Germanic based languages

• Caja (Danish)
• Catharina/Cathrine/Katarina/Katherina (Danish/Norwegian/Swedish)
• Karen (Danish)
• Karin (Danish/Norwegian/Swedish)
• Katharine (Danish)
• Katrina/Katrine/Kathrina/Kathrin (Danish)
• Trine (Danish)
• Catharina (Dutch/Swedish)
• Cato (Dutch)
• Kaatje (Dutch)
• Katelijne/Katelijn (Dutch)
• Katrien (Dutch)
• Katrijn (Dutch)
• Nienke (Dutch)
• Tineke (Dutch: originally a diminutive form, used as an independent given name)
• Toos/Truus (Dutch: initially diminutive forms, used as independent given names)
• Trijn/Trijntje (Dutch)
• Kate/Katie (English: originally diminutive forms, now often used as independent given names in most English speaking countries)
• Katherine/Karen (English)
• Katarina/Katrin (Faroese/Danish)
• Katrina (Faroese)
• Kaja (Frisian)
• Käthe/Caatje (Frisian)
• Katryntje (Frisian)
• Keetje (Frisian)
• Nine/Nynke (Frisian)
• Cathrin/Catrin/Kathrin (German)
• Carin/Karin/Karina/Karine (German/Swedish/Norwegian/Danish)
• Katarina/Katerine/Katharina (German)
• Kathrein (German)
• Katinka (German/Dutch: Germanized form of the Russian diminutive, Katenka)
• Katja (German)
• Trina (German)
• Kaðlín (Icelandic: kahth-LEEN)
• Karín (Icelandic)
• Kata/Katarína/Katrín (Icelandic)
• Kett (Lëtzebuergesch)
• Kaia (Norwegian)
• Kari (Norwegian)
• Trina (Plauttdeutsch)
• Cajsa/Kajsa (Swedish)
• Katarina (Swedish)
• Reina (Yiddish)

Obscure German diminutive forms are Käthchen and Trinchen. A Swiss German dialectical diminutive is Käti. English diminutive forms are Cat, Cathy, Kate, Kathy, Katie, Kay, Kiki, (also used in Sweden and Norway), Kit and Kitty.

Celtic Forms
Variations from various Celtic based languages

• Katarin (Breton)
• Katell/Kattelig (Breton: latter is pronounced kah-tel-LEEK)
• Katik (Breton: kah-TEEK)
• Katou (Breton: kah-TOO)
• Cáit/Cáitín (Irish)
• Catraoine/Caiterína (Irish)
• Caitlín (Irish)
• Caitria/Caitrín (Irish)
• Caitríona (Irish)
• Cathleen/Kathleen (Irish: anglicized form of Caitlin)
• Catreena/Catreeney (Manx)
• Catrìona (Scottish)
• Cadi (Welsh)
• Catrin (Welsh)

Slavic Forms
Variation used in Slavonic based languages

• Kacjaryna (Belorusian: kahts-yah-REE-nah)
• Ekaterina (Bulgarian/Macedonian/Russian)
• Kateřina (Czech: kah-teh-ZHEE-nah)
• Katarzyna (Polish: kah-tah-ZHIH-nah)
• Jekaterina/Yekaterina (Russian)
• Katarina (Serbo-Croatian/Slovenian)
• Katarína (Slovakian)
• Katica (Slovenian: originally a diminutive form, now used as an independent given name. kah-TEET-sah)
• Katja (Slovenian: originally a diminutive form, now used as an independent given name. KAHT-yah)
• Katherine/Kateryna (Ukrainian)

Russian Diminutives include: Katenka, Katiusha and Katya, Czech pet forms are,Káťa, Kačka, Káča, Kačí, Kačenka, Kača, Kačaba, Kačík, Kačuda, Kaťulka, Katerinka, Katica, Katja, Katka, Katla, Katuška and Rina. The most popular diminutive form in Poland is Kasia (KAH-shuh), but there is also Kachna, Kaśka, Kasienka and Kasiunia. Serbo-Croatian diminiutive forms are Kata, Kate (final E is pronounced), Katica, Katja, Katarincica and Rina. A Bulgarian diminutives is Katriška.Ukrainian diminutives are: Katrusya, Katya and Katerynka. Belorusian diminutive forms are Kasja and Katra.

Baltic Forms
Various forms used in the Baltic States

• Kaarin (Estonian)
• Kadi/Kadri/Kadrin (Estonian)
• Kairi/Kari (Estonian)
• Kaisa/Kaisu (Estonian/Finnish)
• Katre/Katri/Katrin (Estonian)
• Triina/Triin/Triinu (Estonian)
• Kaija (Finnish)
• Kata (Finnish)
• Katariina (Finnish/Estonian)
• Kati (Finnish)
• Katja (Finnish)
• Katri/Katriina (Finnish)
• Riina (Finnish)
• Jekaterina (Latvian)
• Kate (Latvian: final E is pronounced)
• Katrīna (Latvian)
• Trine (Latvian: final E is pronounced)
• Katerina/Katrina (Lithuanian)
• Katrė (Lithuanian)
• Katryna (Lithuanian)
• Kotryna (Lithuanian)

Other Languages

• Katarina/Katjusha/Katerina/Katha (Albanian)
• Gadara/Gadarine/Kadara/Kadarine (Armenian)
• Karine (Armenian)
• Katalina (Basque)
• Katalin (Basque/Hungarian)
• Katarin (Basque)
• Ekaterina (Georgian)
• Kattak (Greenlandic)
• Aikaterine/Aikaterini (Greek Modern)
• Katerina (Greek Modern)
• Katina (Greek Modern)
• Kakalina/Kalena/Kalina (Hawaiian)
• Kathani (Hindi/Arabic)
• Katarina (Hungarian/Turkish)
• Kasari (Japanese)
• Katarina (Maltese)
• Kataraina (Maori)
• Kateri (Mohawk)
• Gáddjá (Saami)
• Gáhte (Saami)
• Gáhteriinná/Káhtariinná (Saami)
• Gáre/Káre (Saami)
• Gáren (Saami)
• Kasrin ܟܐܣܪܝܢ (Syriac/Assyrian)
• Akaterina (Turkish)

Hungarian diminutive forms include Kata, Kati, Katica, Katinka, Kató, Katóka, Kitti and Koto.

There are a few masculine forms, the Italian Caterino, Catterino, Cattalino, Catinu (Sicilian dialectical form), and the Romanian Cătălin.