Catherine
Catherine is a girls' name of Greek origin meaning “pure.” It ranked #313 in the United States in 2025.
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how do you pronounce Catherine?
KATH-rin
where does the name Catherine come from?
Borrowed from French, from the Greek Aikaterine, whose meaning is debated; the Greek hekateros, each of the two, and the goddess Hecate have both been proposed. The th in the spelling comes from a folk etymology, going back to Roman times, that connected the name with the Greek katharos, pure.
From the Greek Aikaterine, a name of debated meaning that has been tied to the Greek katharos, pure, since early Christian times. It was the name of Saint Catherine of Alexandria and later of queens and empresses, among them Catherine of Aragon and Catherine the Great.
how popular is this name?
Catherine has appeared in the US top 1,000 in 146 years since 1880. It peaked at #18 in 1914, and ranked #313 in 2025.
See the milestone years
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2025 | #313 |
| 2024 | #322 |
| 2023 | #331 |
| 2022 | #328 |
| 2021 | #323 |
| 2020 | #267 |
| 2019 | #241 |
| 2018 | #205 |
| 2017 | #198 |
| 2016 | #195 |
| 2010 | #193 |
| 2000 | #81 |
| 1990 | #71 |
| 1980 | #77 |
| 1970 | #59 |
| 1960 | #42 |
| 1950 | #34 |
| 1940 | #53 |
| 1930 | #35 |
| 1920 | #21 |
| 1914 | #18 |
| 1910 | #22 |
| 1900 | #34 |
| 1890 | #44 |
| 1880 | #31 |
Source: SSA National Baby Names Dataset (through 2025). Years absent from the table are years Catherine fell outside the top 1,000.
the history of Catherine
Saint Catherine of Alexandria, by tradition martyred in the early fourth century, was tortured on a wheel, which is the origin of the term Catherine wheel. In the United States Catherine ranked in the top 50 from 1880 to 1939, peaking at number 18 in 1914 and 1917, and stood just outside the top 300 in 2025.
what are the nicknames and variants of Catherine?
Nicknames
Variants around the world
who are famous people named Catherine?
- Catherine the Great (Empress of Russia)
- Catherine of Aragon (Queen of England)
- Catherine, Princess of Wales (British royal)
- Catherine Zeta-Jones (actress)
what names are similar to Catherine?
what names go well with Catherine?
Sibling names that share Catherine's rhythm and register without echoing it too closely.
quick answers about Catherine
What does the name Catherine mean?
Catherine means “pure”.
What is the origin of the name Catherine?
Catherine comes from the Greek naming tradition. Related forms include Katherine, Catharine, Kathryn and Cathryn.
How popular is the name Catherine?
Catherine ranked #313 in the US in 2025, according to Social Security data. Its best year was 1914, at #18, and it has spent 146 years in the top 1,000 since 1880.
Is Catherine a boy or girl name?
Catherine is primarily a girls' name.
How do you pronounce Catherine?
Catherine is pronounced KATH-rin, with 2 syllables.
Last updated · Curated by HushName editorial
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