Given name
Cathryn
“one who is pure; virginal”
Cathryn is a variant of Katherine. In Greek use, Katherine carries the interpretation “one who is pure; virginal.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Cathryn is a variant of Katherine. In Greek use, Katherine carries the interpretation “one who is pure; virginal.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Cathryn is a form of Catherine. Catherine possibly comes from French, and ultimately from Ancient Greek.
Adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1882. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Cathryn is a variant of Katherine. The history of Katherine gives this family its wider story. Katherine’s historical associations include Catherine de’ Medici, wife of King Henry II and regent.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Cathryn through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 16,332
- 0 boys · 16,332 girls
- Most popular year
- 1956
- 368 babies
- 2025
- 8
- #11,135 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −49%
- Cooling
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 8 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 11,135 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 48.8% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 368 in 1956. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 11,957 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Cathryn’s family of names
Cathryn has a related form in Katherine. In English usage, Cathryn has a related form in Catherine. In English usage, Cathryn has a conventional equivalent in the German form Katharina.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 3
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 46
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Catalinaequivalent
- Kateequivalent
- Katieequivalent
- Kathrynequivalent
- Karenequivalent
- Katerinaequivalent
- Katarinaequivalent
- Catarinaequivalent
Show 38 moreShow fewer
- Katiaequivalent
- Katrinaequivalent
- Katyequivalent
- Kathyequivalent
- Katyaequivalent
- Caterinaequivalent
- Ekaterinaequivalent
- KatharinaGerman
- Kathrineequivalent
- Kaisaequivalent
- Cathyequivalent
- Catharinaequivalent
- Karinequivalent
- Carinequivalent
- Kajsaequivalent
- Katjaequivalent
- Kathieequivalent
- Kareenequivalent
- Cathrineequivalent
- Katarzynaequivalent
- Catrinequivalent
- Cathieequivalent
- Catharineequivalent
- Katriequivalent
- Katrinequivalent
- Kaarinaequivalent
- Katalinequivalent
- Katrineequivalent
- Chatrineequivalent
- Katriinequivalent
- Jekaterinaequivalent
- Katariinaequivalent
- Kateřinaequivalent
- Katrijnequivalent
- Katarínaequivalent
- Екатеринаequivalent
- Ekaterineequivalent
- Katriinaequivalent
People named Cathryn
- Cathryn DamonAmerican actress (1930-1987)
- Toni TennilleAmerican singerborn 1940
- Cathryn CredoTanzanian actress and modelborn 1997
- Cathryn HarrisonBritish actress (1959-2018)
- Cathryn FitzpatrickAustralian Cricketerborn 1968
- Cathryn BradshawBritish actressborn 1964
- Cathryn FinlaysonOlympic field hockey playerborn 1988
- Cathryn MatagaAmerican video game programmer
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Cathryn, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Kay
“filled with happiness; rejoicing”
17% boys · 83% girls
Katheryn
“one who is pure; virginal”
>99% girls
Candace
“a queen” · “one who is white and glowing”
>99% girls
Lana
Lana is used as a given name and a surname. Lana is connected with Alana.
>99% girls
Vasiliki
“royalty” · “royal”
>99% girls
Kathi
“one who is pure; virginal”
>99% girls
Kara
“one who is pure” · “dearly loved”
>99% girls
Caitríona
“one who is pure; virginal”
>99% girls