Aikaterine

Aikaterini

One of the cute diminutives that's in vogue in Wales... or could be an alternative spelling of Kaydie.

Cadi

Cadie

Cady is one of those names that sounds popular but is actually rare in this form, given to only a few dozen baby girls in the US last year.

Its origins are unclear, and as many possible meanings and origins are cited as there are sources on the web. It may relate to male names Cade, which means round or barrel, or Caden, meaning battle. The similar Caddie is an antiquated nickname for Caroline.

One disadvantage is that Cady will forever be misunderstood as Katie. Advantage: It can be used, perhaps in the middle place, to honor women's rights leader Elizabeth Cady Stanton.

Cady

Caileigh

Cailey

Cait, pronounced like more popular sister Kate, is the form used when shortening Caitlin or any of the other Irish and Gaelic Cait-starting variations of Catherine.

Cait

Caitland

An Irish and Welsh form of Catherine, Caitlin was a boom name of the eighties, rocketing from obscurity (Americans first heard it via the wife of doomed poet Dylan Thomas) to the height of popularity in the space of a decade. The original name was gradually eclipsed by its myriad spelling variations -- Katelyn and Kaitlyn both soon topping it on the popularity lists.
 Now, most forms of Caitlin, including this most-authentic one, have started to dip, though there have been thousands of girls named Caitlin -- and Katelyn and Kaitlyn ad infinitum -- every year for the past three decades. So, while Caitlin is certainly one of the loveliest variations of Catherine, it's been overused to the point of semi-retirement, at least in the U.S. Cait might be a short form.
 Actor Breckin Meyer named his daughter Caitlin in 2003. Caitlyn Jenner also brought a renewed fame to the name, though she uses the -lyn variation.

Caitlin

Caitlyn is following all variations on the Irish classic Caitlin down the US baby name charts, following decades of popular usage. The original Anglicized form Kathleen is now starting to feel fresher than these more modern forms. 

 Transgender athlete and former Kardashian spouse Caitlyn Jenner chose this spelling for her post-transition name in 2015.

Caitlyn

Caitria

Both Caitriona and Catriona are commonly heard in Scotland and Ireland. The name was brought to Ireland by the Anglo-Normans, and is the source of nicknames Cait, Caitin, Caitlin and Triona. Actress Caitrona Balfe has gained recognition for her role on Outlander. Pronunciation is like Katrina.

Caitriona

Cajsa

Carin

Carina is a pretty delicately feminine name whose fall from popularity is not helped by its similarity to hurricane name Katrina or slang victim Karen.

Carina

Carine

May be the most modern, stylish Catherine nickname: more unusual than Kate or Cate, with an animal and word name edge.  Cat Power is a trendy folksinger.

This name of a touristed island in sight of Los Angeles makes an attractive and newly stylish variation on the classic Catherine or overused Caitlin. 
 Santa Catalina of Siena was, along with Saint Francis, one of the two patron saints of Italy and was a respected spiritual writer of the Church. Catalina de Aragón y Castilla is the original Spanish name of the first wife of Henry VIII, known to history as Catherine of Aragon. In a completely different vein, Catalina Aruca was a character on the sitcom My Name is Earl.

Catalina

Time was, even C-starting Catherines who called themselves Kate spelled it with a K, but Cate Blanchett changed all.  Cate is now as acceptable as (but not as well used as) Kate. Cait might be short for Caitlin.

Cate

Cateline

This spelling of Caitlin is closely associated with Game of Thrones matriarch Catelyn Stark, whose name is pronounced CAT-lin on the show.

Catelyn

If your ancestry is Italian, you may want to consider this elegant twist on a classic. 

Caterina

Catharin

Catharina

Actress Hepburn made the Katharine spelling famous, which seems to be the inspiration for this spin on Catherine.

Catharine

Catharyn

Cathe

Cathee

Catherin

Catherina

Catherine is one of the oldest and most consistently well-used <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">girls’ names</a>, with endless variations and nicknames. The Catherine form feels more gently old-fashioned and feminine than the more popular K versions. Most stylish nickname for Catherine right now: Kate...or Cate, a la Blanchett. 
 
While the popularity of the Catherine form has been waning in favor of Katherine with a K, we think that might turn around since Catherine Middleton, who reportedly hates the name Kate and never uses it, became the wife of Prince William and put a modern, stylish gloss on her already classy name.
 The Catherine spelling was a Top 100 name until the millennium; it reached as high as Number 18 in the 19-teens.
 Catherine has been well used throughout history for saints (one of whom, Catherine of Alexandria is the patron saint of philosophers, students, craftsmen, nurses,and librarians), queens, and commoners alike.
 Catherine has also been associated with some of the great romantic heroines of literature, including Heathcliff's love in Wuthering Heights and the passionate nurse Catherine Barkley in Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms.
 And if your're wondering why all those interchangeable C's and K's, it's because when the name was introduced into Anglo-Saxon Britain, Catherine was spelled with a C because the letter K did not yet exist in the English alphabet.
 Parents may also want to consider one of the attractive foreign variations, such as Caterina.

Catherine

Catheryn

Cathi

Cathie

Cathleen

Cathlene

Cathrine

Cathryn

One of the most popular nicknames of the fifties and sixties -- and who could forget the romantic heroine of "Wuthering Heights"? -- now largely ignored in favor of Cate or Kate.

Cathy

Catleene

The sweet and simple Welsh form of Katherine, long popular in Wales but dropping down the popularity charts now. As a German name, it's a short form of Katharina.

Catrin

Catrina

This Katherine variation, used through Ireland and Scotland, is pronounced like Katrina. The name became popular after the Crusaders brought home stories about the colorful fourth century martyr, Catherine of Alexandria. Its later popularity increased following the success of Robert Louis Stevenson's 1893 Catriona, the sequel to Kidnapped.

Catriona

Cay is a rare respelling of the retro nickname Kay but one that may gain ground as a name that's both simple and unique. Like Kay, it can be a diminutive for any of the hundreds of Catherine variations that start with a C or of more modern names such as Caylee or Cadence. Or it can stand on its own as a sleek contemporary nickname-name.

Caye

Caylee was the third fastest-rising name in 2009 and peaked then at Number 263, but has since dropped in the charts, perhaps due to the Caylee Anthony association.

Caylee

Caylie

Caderina

Catarin

Cataryn

Cataryna

Cateryn

Catrien

Ecaterina

This international variation was publicized by Olympic skater Ekaterina Gordeeva.

Ekaterina

Jekaterina

Kaileigh

Kailey

Kait

Kaitland

Kaitlin is a variation of Caitlin that's on a steep decline; it dropped out of the Top 1000 in 2013, after more than three decades on the list. 


Kaitlin

A huge name in the late 90's and most of the 00's, Kaitlyn's been on a downward trend in recent years. Kaitlyn and its soundalikes have been so well used in the US that they can no longer be seen as fresh, but it's still relatively popular in Canada.

Kaitlyn

Kajsa

Kakalina may have a sound that invites ridicule, but it's the Hawaiian form of Katherine.

Kakalina

Kareena

Karen is a Danish diminutive of Katherine, an English name derived from the Greek Aikaterine. The etymology of Aikaterine is contested, but generally considered to have arisen from the Greek root katharos, meaning "pure." Kaja is a related name, as it is another Danish variation of Katherine.
 
Karen, a sweet good-girl Danish import, was so popular during the baby boom (Karen was Number 3 in 1960) that it's locked firmly into fashion limbo today. Recently, the name Karen has been turned into a meme, representing a hostile white woman—one who usually wants to speak with the manager.
 
Parents who want to honor a Karen or choose an updated version of the name might want to consider the Irish Kieran, the Cornish Kerensa or Kerenza, or variations from Karina to Kyra.

Karen

Karena modernizes middle-aged Karen but also creates pronunciation confusion. Is it ka-REN-a, ka-REEN-a, or just plain Karen with an a at the end?  Spelled Karenna as in Gore goes partway toward clarifying things. 

Karena

This sweet and loving name, favored in recent years by a mix of Hispanic-American parents and Bob Dylan fans, was chosen for her daughter by TV actress Melina Kanakaredes. 

Karina

The once super-popular Karen has gotten a bad name of late. Is Karine different enough to survive? Perhaps, though it may take a generation or two for a real comeback.

Karine might also be considered a variation of Carina, an Italian diminutive of Cara meaning "dear".

Karine

Attractive and equally intriguing alternative to Katya.

Kasia

We're hearing Kat more and more being used by Katherines who are tired of Kathy, Kate and Katie. Katti or Kattie is another possibility.

Katalin

Katarin

The Russian version of Katherine is usually Ekaterina, but this Slovak form is used throughout Eastern Europe and may be more friendly to the American ear.

Katarina

Countless notable figures from Polish history, and one America's Next Top Model contestant, have used this version of Catherine, made extra spicy by that "zy." Those interested in honoring a relative with the name might want to consider Kasia, Katarzyna's lovely (and much more English-friendly) nickname.

Katarzyna

Kate, in the headlines via Catherine Middleton aka the Princess of Wales, has been as pervasive as Kathy was in the 1950s and 1960s, both as a nickname for Katherine and Kaitlyn and as a strong, classic stand-alone name. 
 
Deriving from the classic Katherine, Kate has been used since the Middle Ages. It might have emerged from one of the possible Greek origins of the name, Aikaterine, to get that longer 'A' sound. 
 
Kate has an image that's independent, smart, and energetic, recalling Kate Hepburn, the heroine of The Taming of the Shrew/Kiss Me Kate, and contemporary Kates: Winslet, Hudson, Moss, Spade and Beckinsale. Cate Blanchett has helped popularize an alternative spelling of the name, while Kate Sheppard was a prominent member of the New Zealand suffrage movement and played a key role in making New Zealand the first country to allow women to vote in parliamentary elections. 
 Kate is also the female equivalent of Jack as a favorite character name in the movies, TV, and books. It's down-to-earth yet classy, common yet cool.
 Kate has always been, and remains, mega popular in Ireland, where it ranks in the Top 50. Elsewhere, it has declined in popularity since its moment in the 90s and 2000s, but nevertheless, around 640 girls received the name in the US in 2023.

Kate

Katell

One of the most popular of the trendy Caitlin variations, Katelyn points directly to components Kate and Lyn --making it a bit more traditionally feminine.

Katelyn

Katenka

St. Kateri Teckakwitha is the first Native American saint, canonized in 2012.  St. Kateri was the daughter of a Mohawk warrior, born in 1656 in upstate New York.  She converted to Christianity at age 20 and died at 24, and was known as "Lily of the Mohawk."  Kateri was the name the saint took on, a native variation of Katherine, upon her baptism.

Kateri

Katerina and its near-identical twin Katarina have a pleasingly lilting European sound, though for some Americans they may be uncomfortably close to Katrina, which will be linked for a long time to the hurricane that devastated New Orleans.

Katerina

Katharina is an attractive form of Katherine and a great way to update a classic. But English speakers may want to choose the Katerina or Katarina spelling to avoid pronunciation confusion.

Katharina

This is the spelling that old-time film star Katharine Hepburn used, and it's still favored by fans wanting to reference her classic strength and beauty.  But in general, it's losing ground to Katherine and even Ms. Hepburn's own favorite short form, Kate.

Katharine

Katharyn

Kathe

Katherin

Katherina

Katherine is one of the oldest, most diverse, and all-around best names: it's powerful, feminine, royal, saintly, classic, popular, and adaptable. Long one of the top <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/k">girls' names starting with K</a>, Katherine has now been unseated on the popularity list by upstarts Kennedy and Kinsley, but a dip in popularity only adds to its charm.
 Katherine also has a wealth of spellings, short forms, and admirable namesakes. The Katherine spelling has been the preferred one in recent years, though Catherine (now associated with the Duchess of Cambridge) has a gentle vintage appeal, while the Katharine spelling relates to actress Kate Hepburn. Sleeker, more modern-feeling Kathryn has in fact been used for centuries and is still popular if not exactly stylish, and the Irish have favored Kathleen.
 Katherine's origins are lost in the mists of time. The earliest version in Ancient Greece was Ekaterine, which may have come from the name of a folk dance. Later, the spelling was changed under the influence of the Greek word katharos, meaning "pure" — a desirable virtue.
 Katherine has been used for countless literary figures over the centuries, from the spirited heroine of Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew to the BFF in Fifty Shades of Grey to characters on TV's Castle and The Vampire Diaries.
 Martin Short and Tim Allen have daughters named Katherine.
 A profusion of nicknames includes Kate, Katie, Kathy, Kath, Kat, Kitty, Kay, and Kick. Among international variations are Catriona, Catarina, and Katrina. Two literary namesakes are Katherine Anne Porter and Katherine Mansfield.

Katherine

Katheryn

Katheryne

Kathi

Kathie

Kathleen is the early Irish import version that came between Katherine and Kaitlin, and which hasn't been used in so long it's almost beginning to sound fresh again. It was a surprise pick by one of the hip Dixie Chicks, Martie Maguire. Kathleen was a Top 10 name from 1948 to 1951, and it is the subject of several old sentimental songs, such as "I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen."
 From the eighteenth century, Kathleen Ni Houlihan appears in Irish songs as a symbol of Ireland, representing its struggle for independence.
 Kathy Griffin and Kate Walsh were born Kathleen, and it's J.K. Rowling's adopted middle name, after her paternal grandmother. JFK's sister Kathleen was known as Kick.

Kathleen

Kathlene

This is one case where removing a letter makes a name more complicated, not more simple.

Kathrine

Although the Kathryn spelling feels like a modern streamlining of this ancient royal and saints' name, it is in fact found back through history. At least one of Henry the Eighth's unfortunately wives sometimes spelled her name as Kathryn.
 
While Katherine is the number one spelling of the name these days and Catherine number 2, the Kathryn form is well-used if not exactly modern-feeling. Two recent Kathryns of note: Academy Award-winning film director Kathryn Bigelow and bestselling novelist Kathryn Stockett.

Kathryn

There are lots of Kathy moms and grandmas but very few babies, most of whom are now called Kate or Katie.

Kathy

Kati

One of the warm and earthy Russian nickname names now coming into style. Denzel Washington is the father of a Katia. 

Katia

snarryvader81's list "Forms of Aikaterine" of 135 great name ideas: Aikaterine - Yekaterina!

Forms of Aikaterine

The name that gave us the hugely used 'Katherine' and, in earlier decades, 'Kathleen'. Of uncertain meaning, though the two most popularly cited are "pure" or "torture", both from a Greek origin.