🔥Catherine

Greek

"pure"

Updated Mon Sep 02 2024

Catherine Origin and Meaning

The name Catherine is a girl's name of Greek origin meaning "pure".

Catherine is one of the oldest and most consistently well-used girls’ names, with endless variations and nicknames. The Catherine form feels more gently old-fashioned and feminine than the more popular K versions. Most stylish nickname for Catherine right now: Kate...or Cate, a la Blanchett.

While the popularity of the Catherine form has been waning in favor of Katherine with a K, we think that might turn around since Catherine Middleton, who reportedly hates the name Kate and never uses it, became the wife of Prince William and put a modern, stylish gloss on her already classy name.

The Catherine spelling was a Top 100 name until the millennium; it reached as high as Number 18 in the 19-teens.

Catherine has been well used throughout history for saints (one of whom, Catherine of Alexandria is the patron saint of philosophers, students, craftsmen, nurses,and librarians), queens, and commoners alike.

Catherine has also been associated with some of the great romantic heroines of literature, including Heathcliff's love in Wuthering Heights and the passionate nurse Catherine Barkley in Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms.

And if your're wondering why all those interchangeable C's and K's, it's because when the name was introduced into Anglo-Saxon Britain, Catherine was spelled with a C because the letter K did not yet exist in the English alphabet.

Parents may also want to consider one of the attractive foreign variations, such as Caterina.

# 332 in the US

Catherine Rank in US Top 1000

# 226 on Nameberry

Catherine Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

Catherine Popularity

332US2023
226Nameberry2024
453Future2028
457England2021

20 Names Similar to Catherine

These 20 names were selected by our users that were looking for other names like Catherine.

Famous People Named Catherine

Saint Catherine of Alexandria4th century Roman martyr
Saint Catherine of SienaItalian nun
Catherine I (born Marta Helena Skowrońska)Empress of Russia; wife of Peter the Great
Catherine II "The Great" (born Sophie Friederike Auguste von AnhaltZerbst,Dornburg), Empress of Russia
CatherineQueen of Navarre in her own right
Catherine of ValoisQueen consort of Henry V of England
Catherine of Aragonfirst Queen consort of Henry VIII of England
Catherine Howardfifth Queen consort of Henry VIII of England
Catherine Parrsixth Queen consort of Henry VIII of England
Catherine of BraganzaQueen consort of Charles II of England, Scotland and Ireland
Catherine Elizabeth "Kate" MiddletonDuchess of Cambridge, wife of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge

Catherine (Caterina Maria Romula di Lorenzo) de' MediciQueen consort of Henry II of France
Catherine of LancasterQueen consort of Henry III of Castile
Catherine Sunadotter of YmseborgQueen consort of Eric XI of Sweden and the Goths
Catherine of BjurumQueen consort of Charles VIII and I of Sweden and Norway
Catherine of SaxeLauenburg, first Queen consort of Gustav I of Sweden
Catherine Stenbocksecond Queen consort of Gustav I of Sweden
Catherine JagiellonQueen consort of John III of Sweden
Catherine of AustriaQueen consort of John III of Portugal
Catherine of AustriaQueen consort of Sigismund II Augustus of Poland
Catherine of BosniaQueen consort of Stephen Thomas of Bosnia

Catherine Ann "Kate" BosworthAmerican actress
Catherine Elise "Cate" BlanchettAustralian actress
Catherine Ann KeenerAmerican actress
Catherine ZetaJones, Welsh actress
Catherine "Kate" BushEnglish singer,songwriter
Catherine "Kate" CeberanoAustralian singer,songwriter
Catherine OxenbergAmerican actress; daughter of Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia
Catherine Fabienne Dorleac DeneuveFrench actress
Catherine Lisa BellAmerican actress
Catherine Lucy HawkingEnglish journalist and novelist

Catherine TateBritish actress
Catherine JinksAustralian author
Catherine CurtinAmerican actress
Catherine Judith "Kate" MarkowitzAmerican singer,songwriter
Catherine Joan "Kate" WilkinsonNew Zealand politician
Catherine Winifred "Kate" HarcourtNew Zealand actress
Catherine Elizabeth "Kate" Piersonsinger of American band The B,52's
Catherine "Kate" GreenawayEnglish children's author
Catherine Davis "Kate" HigginsAmerican voice actress
Catherine "Catt" SadlerAmerican entertainment news reporter

Catherine TateEnglish comedienne
Catherine BoothEnglish co,founder of the Salvation Army
Catherine CareyLady Knollys, cousin and Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth I
Catherine Willoughby12th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby
Catherine SeymourCountess of Hertford, sister of Lady Jane Grey
Catherine Thomson "Kate" Dickenswife of novelist Charles Dickens
Catherine SkinnerAustralian sport shooter
Catherine O’HaraCanadian actress
Catherine Elizabeth "Cate" Edwardsattorney and daughter of former U.S. Senator John Edwards
Catherine PaizYouTuber from "The ACE Family"

Catherine in Pop Culture

Lady Catherine de Bourgh and Catherine "Kitty" Bennettwo characters from Jane Austen's "Pride & Prejudice"
Catherine "Cathy" Earnshawcharacter in Emily Bronte's "Wuthering Heights"
Catherine Lintondaughter of Catherine Earnshaw, character in "Wuthering Heights"
Catherine Barkleymain love interest in Ernest Hemingway's "A Farewell to Arms"
Catherineminor character in "The Great Gatsby"
Catherine Willowscharacter from TV's 'CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'
Catherine Tramellmain character in movie 'Basic Instinct'
"Catherine" Atlus video game and main character
Catherine Leigh Dollangangerfrom the Dollanganger Saga by V.C. Andrews
Catherine Morlandcharacter from Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey
Catherine Chandlercharacter from TV's "Beauty And The Beast"

Catherine Martellcharacter on TV's "Twin Peaks"
"Catherine" series of novels by Juliette Benzoni
Catherine Rollinscharacter on TV's 'Hawaii Five,0'
Lavinia Catherine Swirecharacter from Downton Abbey
Catherine "Charlie" Demarcocharacter from the TV Series Graceland
Catherine Jane "Cat" Grantcharacter on TV's "Supergirl"
Catherine MeyerSelina's daughter on TV's "Veep"
Catherine Wilder (née Henderson)character in Marvel Universe
Catherinecharacter in Fire Emblem Three Houses video game