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*Kalena ([[Hawaiian language|Hawaiian]])
*Kalena ([[Hawaiian language|Hawaiian]])
*Kalina ([[Hawaiian language|Hawaiian]])
*Kalina ([[Hawaiian language|Hawaiian]])
*Kaltrina ([[Albanian language|Albanian]])
*Karen ([[Danish language|Danish]]), ([[English language|English]]), ([[German language|German]]), ([[Norwegian language|Norwegian]])
*Karen ([[Danish language|Danish]]), ([[English language|English]]), ([[German language|German]]), ([[Norwegian language|Norwegian]])
*Karena ([[English language|English]])
*Karena ([[English language|English]])
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*Katenka ([[Russian language|Russian]])
*Katenka ([[Russian language|Russian]])
*Kateřina ([[Czech language|Czech]])
*Kateřina ([[Czech language|Czech]])
*Katerina ([[Bulgarian language|Bulgarian]]), ([[Greek language|Greek]]), ([[Macedonian language|Macedonian]]), ([[Russian language|Russian]]), ([[Ukrainian language|Ukrainian]])
*Katerina ([[Albanian language|Albanian]]), ([[Bulgarian language|Bulgarian]]), ([[Greek language|Greek]]), ([[Macedonian language|Macedonian]]), ([[Russian language|Russian]]), ([[Ukrainian language|Ukrainian]])
*Katerinka ([[Czech language|Czech]])
*Katerinka ([[Czech language|Czech]])
*Kathalaura ([[Greek language|Greek]], [[German language|German]])
*Kathalaura ([[Greek language|Greek]], [[German language|German]])
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*Kay ([[English language|English]])
*Kay ([[English language|English]])
*Kaye ([[English language|English]])
*Kaye ([[English language|English]])
*Ketrina ([[Albanian language|Albanian]])
*Koto ([[Hungarian language|Hungarian]])
*Koto ([[Hungarian language|Hungarian]])
*Kotryna([[Lithuanian language|Lithuanian]])
*Kotryna([[Lithuanian language|Lithuanian]])

Revision as of 22:43, 2 December 2009

Note: This article deals with the history of the name Katherine. To find people usually known only by the name Katherine, see Katherine (disambiguation). To find people with the given name Katherine who are also known by another name, see All pages with titles beginning with Katherine, All pages with titles beginning with Katharine, and All pages with titles beginning with Catherine.
Katherine
Catherine of Alexandria, by Carlo Crivelli. The name Catherine became famous in Christian communities because of this early saint
GenderFemale
Origin
Word/nameGreek
Meaningeach of the two, far off, pure, torture
Other names
Nickname(s)Kate, Kath, Cath, Cate, Cat, Kathy, Kathie, Kathi, Katey, Katy, Kay, Kat, Katya, Katyusha, Katie, Kati, Kaki, Kit, Kitty, Kaity, and Cathy
Related namesKatheryn, Kathryn, Katharyn, Katherin, Catharine, Cathryn, Katheryne,Catherine, Katharine, Katharina, Kare, Karina

Katherine is a feminine name, which is popular in historically Christian countries, owing to its having been the name of one of the first Christian saints, Saint Catherine of Alexandria.

Origin and meaning

The name is derived from the Greek name Αἰκατερίνη (Aikaterínē), of debated origin and meaning. Theories include:

  • from the Greek (catharsis) see Aristotle's Poetics, meaning to purge or to cleanse - pure/purity of emotion[1]
  • from ἑκάτερος (hekáteros), meaning each of the two, singly[2]
  • from the goddess Hecate.
  • from the Greek word αἰκία (aikía) injurious treatment [3]

The Romans, through folk etymology, associated the name with the Greek καθαρός (katharós) pure which led to the variant spelling Katharine/Katharina.

Katherine is first recorded in England in 1196 having been brought back from the Crusades.[4] The spelling Katharine is more popular in the United States than in Britain, and was also more popular in the past [citation needed]. The form Catherine, corresponding with the French version, is also common in English. Less common variants in English include Katheryn, Kathryn, Katharyn, Katherin, Catharine, and Cathryn. The form Karen, of Danish origin, is now often considered an English name in its own right. Diminutives include Katie, Katy, Kate, Kathy, Kath, Kay, Kat, Katya, Katyusha, Kitty, Kit, and others.

Variants

See also

References

  1. ^ http://www.behindthename.com/name/katherine
  2. ^ View Name: Katherine
  3. ^ Liddell, H. G. Greek-English Lexicon. Oxford: Oxford U. P. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ Withycombe (1976)
  • Withycombe, E. G. (1976) The Concise Dictionary of English Christian Names; 3rd ed. London: Omega Books. ISBN 1-855007-059-8
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