Given name & surname
Katherine
“one who is pure; virginal”
In English use, Katherine is a variant of Catherine. One English interpretation is “one who is pure; virginal.” Its derivation is not certain.
Original GreekΑικατερίνη
Meaning & origin
What it means
In Greek use, Katherine carries the interpretation “one who is pure; virginal.” In English use, Katherine is a variant of Catherine. One English interpretation is “one who is pure; virginal.” Its derivation is not certain.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Where it comes from
A possible origin is Greek, although the derivation remains uncertain.
How it developed
Katherine is used as a form of Catherine.
The story
The name’s historical associations include Catherine de’ Medici, wife of King Henry II and regent.
Katherine through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 652,750
- 1,824 boys · 650,926 girls
- Most popular year
- 1990
- 11,657 babies
- 2025
- 1,670
- #186 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −34%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 1,670 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 186 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 34.5% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 11,625 in 1990. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (229). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 470,588 as a first name in 2020; 294 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Katherine’s family of names
Katherine has an affectionate form in Kathy. Katherine shares a linguistic root with Catherine. Katherine has a related form in Kathleen.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Katherine has relatives in 10 languages. Lines run from its Ancient Greek roots to each of them.
22 related names in 10 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 103
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Catherinevariant · English, French
- Katalinavariant
- Katediminutive · Tagalog, English
- Katievariant · English
- Kitdiminutive · English
- Kathrynvariant
- Kaitlynvariant
- Katelynvariant
Show 52 moreShow fewer
- Karadiminutive · English
- Kathleenvariant
- Katerinavariant
- Kairavariant
- Katarinavariant
- Katiavariant
- Katrinavariant
- Katydiminutive · English
- Katelynnvariant
- Kathydiminutive · Tagalog, English
- Kayshort form · English
- Katherynvariant
- Katyavariant
- Kaitlynnvariant
- Kaitlinvariant
- Katharinevariant
- Kasiapet form
- Katherinavariant
- Kaisavariant
- Kathrinevariant
- Kadievariant
- Kadyvariant
- Cathypet form
- Cathrynvariant
- Kattydiminutive · English
- Katjavariant
- Katherinnelikely variant
- Kateydiminutive · English
- Kathidiminutive · English
- Kettypet form · Danish
- Kathdiminutive · English
- Katidiminutive · English
- Kittyclipped form · English
- Katdiminutive · English
- Kiskavariant
- Kolenevariant
- Kolinavariant
- Kaysavariant
- Katrinevariant
- Katrinvariant
- Katrienvariant
- Katrianavariant
- Katriavariant
- Katrivariant
- Katinavariant
- Katlinvariant
- Katiyavariant
- Katinkavariant
- Katinevariant
- Katilynvariant
- Kathrinavariant
- Kathlynnvariant
And 43 more.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 37
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- ΑικατερίνηGreek
- Catalinacognate
- Karisee also · Norwegian
- Catarinacognate
- Caterinacognate · Italian
- Ekaterinaequivalent
- KatharinaGerman
- Catharinaequivalent
Show 29 moreShow fewer
- Katerynaequivalent
- Carinequivalent
- Kajsaequivalent
- Kaarinaequivalent
- Kareenequivalent
- Cathrineequivalent
- Cathieequivalent
- Yekaterinacognate
- Catrincognate
- Catrionacognate
- Katarínaequivalent
- Ekaterineequivalent
- Екатеринаequivalent
- Katriinaequivalent
- Катеринаequivalent
- Chatrineequivalent
- Katriinequivalent
- Jekaterinaequivalent
- Katariinaequivalent
- Katsiarynaequivalent
- Kätlinequivalent
- Кацярынаequivalent
- 凱瑟琳Chinese
- Kateřinacognate
- Katrijncognate
- Caitríonacognate
- Caitlíncognate
- Catraoinecognate
- Caitríncognate
See also 6
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Katherine
- Katherine JohnsonAfrican-American mathematician1918–2020
- Tilda SwintonScottish-British actressborn 1960
- Katherine HeiglAmerican actress (born 1978)
- Katherine MansfieldNew Zealand author (1888–1923)
- Kate MossEnglish model and businesswomanborn 1974
- Kate UptonAmerican model and actress (born 1992)
- Katherine Maherchief executive officer and president of National Public Radioborn 1983
- Kat DenningsAmerican actress (born 1986)
- Katherine LangfordAustralian actress (born 1996)
Characters named Katherine: Katherine Pulaski (fictional character, chief medical officer in Star Trek: The Next Generation), Kate Kane (DC Comics character), Katherine Mayfair (fictional character on Desperate Housewives), Katherine Pierce (The Vampire Diaries television series).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
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