The Baby Name Wizard

Reader Contributions

Contribute to, or edit, this collection of community wisdom on the name Katherine!

Comments and insights on the name Katherine: | Edit

Katherine is a nice name.

Personal experiences with the name Katherine: | Edit

My friends name is 'Katherine' but without the first 'E' so its 'Kathrine'. She is danish and when she moved to America her danish name was too hard to pronounce for most people, so she just went by something that sounded similar. She is very funny and chatty. Also, she has very blonde hair, and so my science teacher and some of my friends call her 'Blondie'. She has a good sense of humor though, so she's not offended by it.

I know a girl named "Katherine" who goes by "Kit" because "Katherine" is too common.

My name is Katherine and I was born in 1977 to a traditional family. I have always gone by the full name. It is such a classic name, I have always liked it. People often call me Elizabeth by mistake - due to the name's features or my own, I am not sure! Now that I am a mother, I don't mind the soft, feminine connotations of the name, but when I was an ingenue, I longed for a clever nickname. "Special K" is pretty common. Another positive note, boys seemed to really like the name.

My name is Mary Katherine and I go by Katherine. I love my name! It is professional and sophisticated, which I love, but it also has several nick-names for younger girls. My friends call me KK, Kate, Kath, and Kat, all fun, yet sophisticated nick-names.

My daughter's name is Katherine Jennifer Cortés(5) after my mother. She passed away 3 months before her birth. She was originally going to be Jennifer, but I am glad I have my Katherine now. I love all the nicknames! She goes by Katie now, but may change it when she is older, which is fine by me. Her older brother's name is Lucas (11).
My name is Kateri (pronounced just like it looks) it is the Native American version of Katherine and I hate it. I think it is crazy, quirky and childish.

My mum is called Katherine, and everyone calls her Kathy. I think it is a beautiful, classic, elegant name and Kathy sounds very proffesional but also fun and friendly. There are also loads of other nicknames for Katherine to suit all types of people.

Nicknames for Katherine: | Edit

Kat, Kate, Kathy, Katie, Kay, Kit, Kitty, Kari, Katia, Kathie, Kath, Cath, Cate, Katydid, Kathleen, Caitlin, Katelyn, Blondie, KK,

Meanings and history of the name Katherine: | Edit

It means "pure," I think.

Katherine is a name borne by many queens throughout history, in several variants, as well as several saints.

Famous real-life people named Katherine: | Edit

Kate Winslet (Academy award winning actress from England)
Kate Beckinsale (actress, from England)
Kate Hudson (Oscar nominated actress)
Kate Moss (British supermodel)
Katie Holmes (actress)
Katherine Anne Porter, famous author, wrote "Ship of Fools"
Kate Smith,famous singer of the 40's and 50's
KaDee Strickland (actress) Full name is Katherine Dee
Kathleen Battle, famous opera singer, current
Katherine Swynford, third wife of John of Gaunt, ancestress of the Tudor dynasty
Katherine Heigl, American actress
Katherine Bell, Ninja
Katarina Witt, German Ice Skater, gold Medal Winner, in the 70's
Katharine Cornell, famous stage actress of the 40's
Catherine Deneuve, famous french actress from "Umbrellas of Cherbourg", in the 60's
Katharine Hepburn famous actress, died in 1990's, sarted in the 1930'
Kathryn Grayson, actress/singer in the 40's
Kathryn Grant, minor 50's actress, 2nd wife of Bing Crosby, mother of actress Mary Crosby of "Dallas" fame. Kathy Bates, famous recent actress, Misery, Fried Green Toamtoes, etc.
Catherine of Sienna, famous mideviel saint and mystic
Catherine Parr, opne of Henry VIII's wives
Kathie Lee Gifford, actress/talk show hostess
Katherine Drexel, famous modern American saint, from Phiadelphia, turn of the 20th century
Catherine of Aragon-Henry VIII's first wife, mother of Queen Mary-beautiful, intelligent, strong woman
Kathy Martin, author of Teddy Bears-a Collectable History of the Teddy Bear, Merrythought, and Farnell, and former editor of Teddy Bear Scene

Katherine in song, story & screen: | Edit

Det. Katherine 'Kate' Beckett, an NYPD homicide detective of the TV series "Castle"
Katherine, Anya Seton's novel about Katherine Swynford and John of Gaunt
An Abundance of Katherines, a novel by John Green
Izzie Stevens' of ''Grey's Anatomy'' middle name is Katherine
"Kathy" of "Wuthering Heights", by one of the Bronte sisters
Katherine "Kate" Austen of the TV series "Lost"