Catherine
Catherine: name meaning, origin and popularity
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈkæθ(ə)ɹɪn/
Meaning and origin of Catherine
- A female given name from Ancient Greek.
Etymology
Borrowed from French Catherine, from Ancient Greek Αἰκατερίνη (Aikaterínē), *Ἑκατερίνη (*Hekaterínē), of debated meaning, possibly from ἑκάτερος (hekáteros, “each of the two”), or from the name of the goddess Hecate. The apheresis of the first syllable as well as the spelling with ⟨th⟩ in Latin languages, German and English, is due to a folk etymology, dating from Roman times, which associated the name with the Ancient Greek καθαρός (katharós, “pure”). The name belonged to a 4th-century saint and martyr from Alexandria who was tortured on the wheel from where the term Catherine wheel originates.
How popular is Catherine?
Since 1880, 667,789 girls and 1,822 boys in the U.S. have been named Catherine (100% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #18 in 1914. Its highest rank for boys was #784 in 1884. In 2025 it ranked #314 for girls, with 972 babies given the name.
Names similar to Catherine
Names that start with the same letters, most popular first.
More Greek girl names
Sibling name ideas for Catherine
Sister and brother names that share Catherine's Greek roots and are still in the U.S. top 1,000.
Catherine FAQ
What does the name Catherine mean?
A female given name from Ancient Greek. Borrowed from French Catherine, from Ancient Greek Αἰκατερίνη (Aikaterínē), *Ἑκατερίνη (*Hekaterínē), of debated meaning, possibly from ἑκάτερος (hekáteros, “each of the two”), or from the name of the goddess Hecate. The apheresis of the first syllable as well as the spelling with ⟨th⟩ in Latin languages, German and English, is due to a folk etymology, dating from Roman times, which associated the name with the Ancient Greek καθαρός (katharós, “pure”). The name belonged to a 4th-century saint and martyr from Alexandria who was tortured on the wheel from where the term Catherine wheel originates.
What is the origin of the name Catherine?
Catherine is listed as a name of Greek origin.
How popular is the name Catherine?
Since 1880, 667,789 girls and 1,822 boys in the U.S. have been named Catherine (100% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #18 in 1914. Its highest rank for boys was #784 in 1884. In 2025 it ranked #314 for girls, with 972 babies given the name.
Is Catherine a boy or girl name?
Catherine is mostly a girl name in the U.S.: 667,789 girls and 1,822 boys since 1880.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880–2025 (names given to 5+ babies per year). Origin and etymology text: Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.