Catherine at a glance
- Meaning
- “pure”
- Gender
- Girl
- Origin
- Greek
- Pronunciation
- KATH-rin
- Nicknames
- Kate, Katie, Cathy, Kitty
- Other forms
- Katherine, Kathryn, Caterina, Ekaterina
Where the name Catherine comes from
Catherine comes from the Greek name Aikaterine, whose real origin is unknown; early Christians linked it with the Greek word for pure. Returning crusaders brought the story of St Catherine of Alexandria to England, and the name became very common. Three of Henry VIII’s wives were called Catherine, and so is the present Princess of Wales.
Famous people named Catherine
- Catherine the Great (Russian empress)