FastNamesKatherine
Greek name meaning "Pure, clear; derived from Greek Aikaterine, associated through folk etymology with katharos ('pure, clean').". Ranked 186th for girls in 2025.
Meaning and origin of Katherine
Pure, clear; derived from Greek Aikaterine, associated through folk etymology with katharos ('pure, clean').
Linguistically, Katherine is classified under Greek naming traditions. It is typically pronounced "KATH-er-in".
Popularity and ranking
In official US Social Security birth records from 1880 through 2025, Katherine has been given to a total of 650,926 girls. It has also been given to 1,824 boys.
Peak year: Katherine reached its highest relative share among girls in 1988, when 11,154 babies received the name (6,263 per million births).
All-time best rank: 25th place, first achieved in 1991.
Recent standing (2025): Ranked 186th with 1,670 births. Ten years earlier in 2015, it ranked 84th (down 102 spots).
Busiest decade: More girls were named Katherine in the 1980s than in any other decade (99,175 births).
| Decade | Recorded births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 6,922 |
| 1890s | 9,408 |
| 1900s | 12,105 |
| 1910s | 36,884 |
| 1920s | 42,745 |
| 1930s | 25,193 |
| 1940s | 39,912 |
| 1950s | 66,855 |
| 1960s | 50,619 |
| 1970s | 54,048 |
| 1980s | 99,175 |
| 1990s | 96,885 |
| 2000s | 65,356 |
| 2010s | 34,144 |
| 2020s | 10,675 |
Source: Social Security Administration, national baby name data, data through 2025. Names given to fewer than five babies of one sex in a year aren't published, so totals are a little lower than actual births.
Where Katherine is most common in the US
Accounting for when Katherine was in fashion nationally, it has been most heavily concentrated in the following states (measured against the expected rate from each state's births):
- District of Columbia: 1.8 times the national rate (4,723 births since 1910).
- Alaska: 1.7 times the national rate (1,491 births since 1910).
- New Hampshire: 1.6 times the national rate (3,246 births since 1910).
- Connecticut: 1.6 times the national rate (10,939 births since 1910).
- Vermont: 1.6 times the national rate (1,682 births since 1910).
Source: Social Security Administration, baby names by state, data through 2025. Names given to fewer than five babies of one sex in a state in a year aren't published, so totals are a little lower than actual births.
How many people have the name Katherine?
About 483,000 living American girls and women share the name Katherine. Additionally, an estimated 1,200 living American boys and men share the name.
The median age of an American named Katherine is 40 years old.
Estimated from Social Security Administration records (1880–2025) and official SSA cohort mortality tables.
History of the name Katherine
Katherine represents one of the Western world's most enduring royal and classical names, tracing its roots to early Christian martyrdom and the legend of Saint Catherine of Alexandria. While the early Greek form Aikaterine was of uncertain pre-Christian etymology, Christian scholars linked it with the Greek adjective katharos (meaning 'pure' or 'unsullied'), shaping its spelling and symbolic resonance across centuries.
Introduced to England by returning crusaders in the twelfth century, the name flourished across European royalty, borne by three wives of King Henry VIII (Catherine of Aragon, Catherine Howard, and Catherine Parr), Catherine de' Medici in France, and Catherine the Great of Russia. In early America, Katherine established a formidable presence across colonial records.
In the United States, Katherine has maintained an extraordinary record of timeless durability, ranking inside the national top one hundred for virtually the entire twentieth century. Celebrated by pioneers like NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson and literary icons like Katherine Anne Porter, Katherine represents intellectual brilliance and regal poise.
Notable people named Katherine
- Katherine Johnson (1918–2020), Pioneering NASA mathematician whose calculations guided orbital spaceflight
- Katherine Heigl (1978–), American Primetime Emmy Award-winning actress and producer
- Katherine Mansfield (1888–1923), Prominent New Zealand modernist short story writer
- Katherine Anne Porter (1890–1980), American Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award-winning author
Variants and related names
Spelling variants
Diminutives and nicknames
Related names
Sources and references
- Patrick Hanks, Kate Hardcastle, Flavia Hodges. A Dictionary of First Names (2006), p. 156.
- E. G. Withycombe. The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names (1977), p. 60.
- Douglas Harper. Online Etymology Dictionary. Reference link.