Forms of Aikaterine
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The name that gave us the hugely used 'Katherine' and, in earlier decades, 'Kathleen'. Of uncertain meaning, though the two most popularly cited are "pure" or "torture", both from a Greek origin.
- Katherine
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"pure"Description:
Katherine is one of the oldest, most diverse, and all-around best names: it's powerful, feminine, royal, saintly, classic, popular, and adaptable. Long one of the top girls' names starting with K, Katherine has now been unseated on the popularity list by upstarts Kennedy and Kinsley, but a dip in popularity only adds to its charm.
- Catherine
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"pure"Description:
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.
- Karen
Origin:
Danish variation of KatherineMeaning:
"pure"Description:
Karen is a Danish diminutive of Katherine, an English name derived from the Greek Aikaterine. The etymology of Aikaterine is contested, but generally considered to have arisen from the Greek root katharos, meaning "pure." Kaja is a related name, as it is another Danish variation of Katherine.
- Kate
Origin:
English, diminutive of KatherineMeaning:
"pure"Description:
Kate, in the headlines via Catherine Middleton aka the Princess of Wales, has been as pervasive as Kathy was in the 1950s and 1960s, both as a nickname for Katherine and Kaitlyn and as a strong, classic stand-alone name.
- Katie
Origin:
English, diminutive of KatherineMeaning:
"pure"Description:
Friendly mega-popular short form of Katherine that has definitively replaced Kathy, Katie is often given on its own. Going forward, though, Katie is more stylishly clipped itself to the grownup Kate.
- Kathryn
Origin:
Variation of Katherine and Catherine, GreekMeaning:
"pure"Description:
Although the Kathryn spelling feels like a modern streamlining of this ancient royal and saints' name, it is in fact found back through history. At least one of Henry the Eighth's unfortunately wives sometimes spelled her name as Kathryn.
- Catalina
Origin:
Spanish variation of CatherineMeaning:
"pure"Description:
This name of a touristed island in sight of Los Angeles makes an attractive and newly stylish variation on the classic Catherine or overused Caitlin.
- Kitty
Origin:
English, diminutive of KatherineMeaning:
"pure"Description:
This endearing nickname name is one Katherine pet form that predates all the Kathys and Katies, having been fairly common in the eighteenth century. With the current mini-craze for animal-related names, Kitty is sounding cute and cuddly again—she's already jumped back onto the U.K. list, at number 199.
- Caitlin
Origin:
Irish variation of CatherineMeaning:
"pure"Description:
An Irish and Welsh form of Catherine, Caitlin was a boom name of the eighties, rocketing from obscurity (Americans first heard it via the wife of doomed poet Dylan Thomas) to the height of popularity in the space of a decade. The original name was gradually eclipsed by its myriad spelling variations -- Katelyn and Kaitlyn both soon topping it on the popularity lists.
- Carina
Origin:
ItalianMeaning:
"dear little one"Description:
Carina is a pretty delicately feminine name whose fall from popularity is not helped by its similarity to hurricane name Katrina or slang victim Karen.
- Kathleen
Origin:
Anglicized form of Irish CaitlinMeaning:
"pure"Description:
Kathleen is the early Irish import version that came between Katherine and Kaitlin, and which hasn't been used in so long it's almost beginning to sound fresh again. It was a surprise pick by one of the hip Dixie Chicks, Martie Maguire. Kathleen was a Top 10 name from 1948 to 1951, and it is the subject of several old sentimental songs, such as "I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen."
- Karina
Origin:
Scandinavian, German, Polish, and Russian variation of CarinaDescription:
This sweet and loving name, favored in recent years by a mix of Hispanic-American parents and Bob Dylan fans, was chosen for her daughter by TV actress Melina Kanakaredes.
- Kaylee
Origin:
American variation of KaylaMeaning:
"laurel, crown"Description:
A widely used name, Kaylee pulls together something from Kayla and something from Hailey, yet somehow loses something in the process. It has surpassed cousin Kayla on the charts and is one of three girls' names starting with Kthat ranks in the US Top 100.
- Kay
Origin:
English, diminutive of Katherine, GreekMeaning:
"pure"Description:
Kay, a cigarette-smoking, nightclubbing name of the 1930's, could be ready for a comeback along with cousins May/Mae and Ray/Rae.
- Katerina
Origin:
Macedonian, Czech, Russian, Bulgarian, and Greek form of KatherineDescription:
Katerina and its near-identical twin Katarina have a pleasingly lilting European sound, though for some Americans they may be uncomfortably close to Katrina, which will be linked for a long time to the hurricane that devastated New Orleans.
- Kaitlyn
Origin:
Spelling variation of CaitlinMeaning:
"pure"Description:
A huge name in the late 90's and most of the 00's, Kaitlyn's been on a downward trend in recent years. Kaitlyn and its soundalikes have been so well used in the US that they can no longer be seen as fresh, but it's still relatively popular in Canada.
- Katia
Origin:
Russian diminutive of EkaterinaMeaning:
"pure"Description:
One of the warm and earthy Russian nickname names now coming into style. Denzel Washington is the father of a Katia.
- Katelyn
Origin:
Spelling variation of CaitlinMeaning:
"pure"Description:
One of the most popular of the trendy Caitlin variations, Katelyn points directly to components Kate and Lyn --making it a bit more traditionally feminine.
- Caitlyn
Origin:
Spelling variation of CaitlinDescription:
Caitlyn is following all variations on the Irish classic Caitlin down the US baby name charts, following decades of popular usage. The original Anglicized form Kathleen is now starting to feel fresher than these more modern forms.
- Katarina
Origin:
Slovak; Swedish; Serbian; Croatian; Slovenian, variation of KatherineMeaning:
"pure"Description:
The Russian version of Katherine is usually Ekaterina, but this form is used throughout Eastern Europe and may be more friendly to the American ear.