Contribute your knowledge to the name Katharina

Comments and insights on the name Katharina

I named my daughter Katharina, and her nickname is Kate. The name has been in my husband's family for a few generations, so it was appropriate to name her traditionally.

I have encountered a few problems with it though; because it is spelled unlike any standard "Katherine" name it is very often mispronounced and misspelled. For our family we annunciate the "h" so it's spoken as (Ka-th-a-ree-na). My piece of advice is, unless you intend for the "h" to be distinctive, just leave it out.

As for spelling, there are only so many times a person can be corrected before I give up, and have long ago settled for introducing her as just "Kate".

Personal experiences with the name Katharina

A good friend of mine is named Katharina ... beautiful name. People are always spelling it "Katarina", though.

My name is Katharina and it always gets mispronounced, because of the "h". If you're considering this name, I would spell it without the "h" as Katarina instead. My mom wanted me to be Katie, but dad always called me Kathi (pronounced Katty) and that stuck until my teenage years when it turned into Kat.

In Europe the name is associated with beauty, pure, righteousness, mystery, wisdom, empathy and a long life

Nicknames for Katharina

Kathi, Kathy, Katy, Kathie, Katie, Kath, Kat, Kit-Kat, Katty

Meanings and history of the name Katharina

A name of Germanic origin that was used by Shakespeare.

It's actually of Greek origin, same as Katherine. This is simply the Germanic/Eastern spelling of the name Katherine.

Famous real-life people named Katharina

Katharina von Bora (1499-1552) wife of leader of the protestant reformation Martin Luther
Katharina the great. (1729-1796) Russian Tzarina / Imperator.

Katharina in song, story & screen