What Does the Name Catherine Mean?

Catherine is a girl's name of Greek origin meaning “of uncertain meaning, later associated with 'pure' (katharos).”

Updated June 2026

Name	Catherine
Gender	female
Origin	Greek
Meaning	of uncertain meaning, later associated with 'pure' (katharos)
Variants	Katherine, Catharine, Katharina, Caitlin, Kate
Popularity	A timeless US and British classic, in continuous top-200 use for over a century.

The meaning and origin of Catherine

The name Catherine means “of uncertain meaning, later associated with 'pure' (katharos)” and has Greek origins. Catherine derives from the Greek Aikaterine, whose original meaning is uncertain but became linked to the Greek 'katharos' meaning pure through folk etymology. Borne by numerous saints and queens, it is one of the most enduring classic names.

Variants and related names

Catherine is related to several other names you may recognize: Katherine, Catharine, Katharina, Caitlin, Kate. These share a common root or are spelling and language variants of the same name.

How popular is the name Catherine?

A timeless US and British classic, in continuous top-200 use for over a century.

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