Given name
Katarina
“one who is pure; virginal”
Katarina is a variant of Katherine. In Greek use, Katherine carries the interpretation “one who is pure; virginal.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Katarina is a variant of Katherine. In Greek use, Katherine carries the interpretation “one who is pure; virginal.”
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In Swedish use, Katarina is used as a form of Katherine.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1958. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Katarina 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
Katarina through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 9,357
- 0 boys · 9,357 girls
- Most popular year
- 1994
- 523 babies
- 2025
- 113
- #1,788 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −17%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 113 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 1,788 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 17.1% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 523 in 1994. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (19). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 9,543 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.
Katarina’s family of names
In Swedish usage, Katarina has a diminutive in Karina. In Swedish usage, Katarina developed from the Ancient Greek form Αἰκατερίνη. Katarina has a related form in Katherine.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Katarina has relatives in 16 languages. Lines run from its Ancient Greek roots to each of them.
Ancient Greekwhere Katarina comes from · 1 name
Nicknames & forms 24
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Katherinevariant
- Katalinavariant · Slovene
- Katediminutive · Slovene
- Karinadiminutive · Swedish
- Katerinavariant · Slovene
- Catarinavariant · Serbo-Croatian, Swedish
- Rinashort form · Norwegian Bokmål
- Katharinavariant · Swedish, German
Show 16 moreShow fewer
- Kajadiminutive · Norwegian
- Catharinavariant · Serbo-Croatian, Swedish
- Katjadiminutive · Slovene
- Kajsapet form
- Katinkadiminutive · Slovene
- Katadiminutive · Slovene, Serbo-Croatian
- Katinadiminutive · Slovene
- Katikadiminutive · Slovene
- Katijadiminutive · Slovene
- Katidiminutive · Slovene
- Katrinshort form · Swedish
- Katarinnalikely variant
- Kattarinalikely variant
- Katarinicadiminutive · Slovene
- Katarincadiminutive · Slovene
- Katkadiminutive · Slovene
Spellings & scripts 4
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 36
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Catalinaequivalent
- CatherineFrench, English
- Katieequivalent
- Karenequivalent
- Katiaequivalent
- Katyequivalent
- Kathyequivalent
- Katyaequivalent
Show 28 moreShow fewer
- CaterinaItalian
- Kathrineequivalent
- Kaisaequivalent
- Cathyequivalent
- Cathrynequivalent
- Carinequivalent
- Katarzynaequivalent
- Catrinequivalent
- Cathieequivalent
- Catharineequivalent
- Katriequivalent
- Kaarinaequivalent
- Kathieequivalent
- Kareenequivalent
- 凱瑟琳Chinese
- ΑικατερίνηGreek
- Kárederivative · Northern Sami
- Katariinaborrowing · Finnish
- KateřinaCzech
- Katrijnequivalent
- Екатеринаequivalent
- Ekaterineequivalent
- Katriinaequivalent
- Chatrineequivalent
- Gárenequivalent
- Katriinequivalent
- Jekaterinaequivalent
- Αἰκατερίνηroot · Ancient Greek
See also 7
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Katarina
- Katarina WittGerman figure skaterborn 1964
- Katarina SrebotnikSlovenian female tennis playerborn 1981
- Katarina BarleyGerman politicianborn 1968
- Katarina TaikonSwedish Romani writer-actor1932–1995
- Katarina Johnson-ThompsonBritish heptathleteborn 1993
- Katarina BulatovićMontenegrin handball playerborn 1984
- Katarina IvanovskaMacedonian model and actressborn 1988
- Katarina IvanovićSerbian painter (1811–1882)
- Katarina ČasSlovenian actressborn 1976
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Katarina, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Kara
“one who is pure” · “dearly loved”
>99% girls
Katheryn
“one who is pure; virginal”
>99% girls
Candace
“a queen” · “one who is white and glowing”
>99% girls
Caitríona
“one who is pure; virginal”
>99% girls
Caesaria
“an empress” · “an emperor; having a full head of hair”
>99% girls
Vasiliki
“royalty” · “royal”
>99% girls
Kathrina
“one who is pure; virginal”
>99% girls
Tatiana
“queen of the fairies”
>99% girls