Katherine is a girl name with a modern feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Katherine means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Katherine across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Katherine has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Katherine is a girl name of Greek origin meaning “pure”. borne by numerous saints and queens.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 652,750 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 11,275 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 2,799 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 374 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 2,593 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 3,912 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Katherine per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1990 (11,657/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 1996 (1,266/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1992 (111/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1965 (91/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 1998 (45/yr).
Katherine has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1990, when it ranked #67 nationally (given to 11,784 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1990s.
Catherine · Kathryn · Katharine · Catharine · Cathryn · Kathrine · Cathrine · Katherin
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