Catherine

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Catherine

Gender: Feminine
Language: English and French
Etymology:
Catherine is the French form of Caterine, the Old French form of Katherine, a blend of the (possibly) Coptic name Aikaterina and the Greek word “katharos” (pure). Possibly connected with the Greek word “aikia” (torture) or the goddess of the underworld named Hecate.

History:
Catherine, the French spelling, was traditionally the most common form of Katherine, especially for royalty, duing the Middle Ages and beyond.
Please see Katherine for additional infomation.

Pronunciation: kath-rinn.

Diminutives:
English: Cat, Catey, Cathey, Cathy, Kate, Kath, Katha, Kathey, Kathi, Kathie, Kathy, Kati, Katie, Kattie, Katy, Kit, Kitty.
French: Cathi, Cathia, Cathie.

Alternates: Catharina, Catharine, Catharan, Catherin, Catherina, Catheryn, Cathern, Cathrine, Cathryn, Cathryne, Catina.
French (Old): Catheline, Cateline.

See also: Cathy.

Famous Bearers:
Artists and Authors:
Catharine Maria Sedgwick (1789-1867)
American writer.
Catherine Parr Traill (1802-1899)
Canadian writer.

Educators, Scholars, and Social Workers:
Catharine Macaulay (1731-1791)
British historian.
Catharine Esther Beecher (1800-1878)
American educator and feminist.
Catherine Booth (1829-1890)
Wife of the founder of the Salvation Army.
Catherine Bowen (1897-1973)
American biographer.

Religious Figures:
Saint Catherine of Alexandria (4th century)
An early martyr broken on the wheel. May not have existed.
Saint Catherine of Sweden (Swedish: Sankta Katarina) (1331-1381)
Daughter of St. Brigitte of Sweden.
Saint Catherine of Siena (1347-1380)
Patron saint of Italy.
Saint Catherine (Caterina) of Bologna (1413-1463)
Italian mystic.
Saint Catherine of Genoa (1447-1510)
Italian mystic who worked with the poor.
Saint Catherine (1522-1590)
Italian Dominican mystic.
Mother Catherine Spalding (1793-1858)
Roman Catholic leader in early Kentucky.

Royalty:
Catherine of Valois (1401-1437)
Daughter of King Charles VI of France, wife to King Henry V of England, mother of King Henry VI of England.
Caterina Cornaro (1454-1510)
Wife of King James II of Cyprus.
Catherine of Aragon (1485-1536)
First wife of Henry VIII of England. He divorced her when she failed to provide a son.
Catherine Parr (1512-1548)
Sixth wife of King Henry VIII of England. Survived him.
Catherine De Médicis (1519-1589)
Wife of King Henry II of France. Mother to King Francis II, King Charles IX and King Henry III of France.
Catherine Howard (-1542)
Fifth wife of Henry VIII of England. She was executed for adultery.
Catherine of Braganza (1638-1705)
Portuguese wife of King Charles II of England.
Catherine I of Russia (Russian: Yekaterina) (1684-1727)
Second wife of Peter the Great. Of peasant birth, she became Empress when he died.Originally named Marta Skowronska.
Catherine (II) the Great of Russia (1729-1796)
A German princess originally named Sophie Friederike Auguste. She was married to Tsar Peter III. After his assassination (probably on her orders) she became Empress.

Scientists:
Catharine Furbish (1789-1867)
American botanist.

Singers and Entertainers:
Kitty (Catherine) Clive (1711-1785)
English actress.

Popularity:
Percentage from the 1990 U.S. Census:
0.373 % named Catherine
0.137 % named Cathy
0.017 % named Cathleen
0.006 % named Catharine
0.001 % named Cathern
0.001 % named Catheryn

Popularity of Catherine:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1800: 12th most popular.
1850: 21st most popular.
1875: 46th most popular.
1900-1910: 19th most popular.
1910-1920: 21st most popular.
1920-1930: 28th most popular.
1930-1940: 43rd most popular.
1940-1950: 46th most popular.
1950-1960: 34th most popular.
1960-1970: 58th most popular.
1970-1980: 72nd most popular.
1980-1990: 63rd most popular.
1990: 69th most popular.
1991: 71st most popular.
1992: 79th most popular.
1993: 75th most popular.
1994: 83rd most popular.
1995: 91st most popular.
1996: 94th most popular.
1997: 96th most popular.
1998: 104th most popular.
1999: 98th most popular.
2000: 81st most popular.
2001: 80th most popular.
2002: 100th most popular.
2003: 106th most popular.

In France...
1900: 22nd most popular.
1910: 40th most popular.
1920: 69th most popular.
1930: 86th most popular.
1940: 80th most popular.
1950: 16th most popular.
1960: 1st most popular.
1970: 9th most popular.
1980: 55th most popular.
1990: 175th most popular.
1991: 190th most popular.
2000: N/A

In Ireland...
1998: 52nd most popular.
1999: 51st most popular.
2000: 61st most popular.
2001: 54th most popular.
2002: 59th most popular.
2003: 71st most popular.

Popularity of Catharine:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1800: 11th most popular.
1850: 25th most popular.
1875: 48th most popular.
1900-1910: 361st most popular.
1910-1920: 409th most popular.
1920-1930: 593rd most popular.
1930-1940: 816th most popular.
1940-1950: 943rd most popular.
1950-1960: 831st most popular.
1960-2000: N/A