Catherine
/K-AE-TH-R-IH-N/
From Greek 'katharos' (pure). Multiple saints: Alexandria (4th c. ), Siena (14th c.
See Catherine scored for your familyQuick — what every parent wants to know about Catherine:
Yes — Catherine is a Christian girl name of Greek origin, meaning “From Greek 'katharos' (pure). Multiple saints: Alexandria (4th c. ), Siena (14th c.”.
How well does Catherine fit your family?
This page tells you what Catherine means. The app tells you whether it's right for your baby — scored against the names already in your family, your heritage, and your baby's exact birth star.
Unlock Catherine's score — free
Six signals — scored for your family, not in the abstract:
Meaning & origin
Catherine is a girl's name of Greek origin, traditionally used in Christian families. The name means "From Greek 'katharos' (pure). Multiple saints: Alexandria (4th c. ), Siena (14th c." and belongs to the Light cluster — names meaning radiance, illumination, and hope.
Common among American, European, Greek, Singaporean families, Catherine carries cultural weight that goes beyond its dictionary definition — it's a name with a story and a community.
What would a baby named Catherine look like?
NameRoot imagines a one-of-a-kind AI baby portrait for every name, shaped by its heritage — the features, the colouring, the feeling a name like Catherine carries. No two are alike.
See Catherine's portrait — and its full score — the moment you open the app.
See Catherine's baby portrait →What does Catherine's numerology say?
Numerology assigns each name a single-digit destiny number by summing its letter values. Different schools use different mappings — NameRoot computes both so you can see how Catherine resonates in either tradition.
Catherine's destiny number is 11 — but a number only matters in context. The app matches it to your family's own numbers for a real compatibility read. See Catherine's full reading →
Does Catherine go with your family's names?
Catherine breaks into 6 sounds: /K-AE-TH-R-IH-N/. The real test isn't how it sounds alone — it's how it sounds beside the names already in your family: yours, your partner's, and any brothers or sisters. NameRoot scores that harmony, so Catherine sits naturally next to a Mum and Dad like Michael & Anna, or a big sister named Gianna — no awkward clashes, no two names that blur together. Hear Catherine beside your family's names →
Nicknames
Common affectionate forms of Catherine — useful for everyday family conversation, early childhood, or as standalone given names themselves.
Names similar to Catherine
If Catherine resonates with you, these names live in the same world — drawn from the same tradition, sharing the same meaning, or echoing a similar sound.
From the same tradition
Other Christian girl names, common in American families
Sharing the same meaning
Other Christian girl names from the Light cluster
Names that sound similar
Christian girl names that open with the same syllables as Catherine
Explore more names
Keep exploring names like Catherine — by tradition, by meaning, or by first letter.
Common questions about Catherine
What does the name Catherine mean?
Catherine means "From Greek 'katharos' (pure). Multiple saints: Alexandria (4th c. ), Siena (14th c.." It is a girl name of Greek origin, traditionally used in Christian families.
Is Catherine a boy or girl name?
Catherine is most commonly used as a girl name.
What is the origin of the name Catherine?
Catherine is of Greek origin, used in Christian tradition, commonly among American, European, Greek families.
Is Catherine a Christian name?
Yes. Catherine is a girl name traditionally used in Christian families, of Greek origin.
What does Catherine mean in Greek?
Catherine originates from Greek, where it means "From Greek 'katharos' (pure). Multiple saints: Alexandria (4th c. ), Siena (14th c.."
What are common nicknames for Catherine?
Common short forms of Catherine include Kate, Katie, Cathy, Cat, Kit.
What is the numerology of Catherine?
Catherine has a Pythagorean destiny number of 11 — intuition and inspired leadership (master number).
See how Catherine scores for your family
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