UK girl's name
Catherina
A feminine name derived from the Greek Katharin, meaning "pure" or "chaste".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2015. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Catherina is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Catherina popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2015 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5730, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1997, with 4 births.
This profile covers 16 England and Wales registrations across 5 recorded years from 1996 to 2015. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 75% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 19 living people in the UK are called Catherina. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2016 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Catherina ranked #5730 for girls in England and Wales in 2015, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1997, when 4 girls were registered as Catherina.
- • Catherina ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #508 in 1974.
- • About 19 living people in the UK are estimated to have Catherina as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5730
2015
Births in 2015
3
Latest year
Peak year
1997
4 births
Estimated living
19
2026
Meaning
What does Catherina mean?
The name Catherina is derived from the Greek name Katharina, which itself is a feminine form of the Greek name Katharios, meaning "pure" or "clear". The name can be traced back to the late Roman era and early Christian period, around the 3rd to 5th centuries AD. It is believed to have originated in the Eastern Mediterranean region, particularly in areas with Greek cultural influence.
The name Catherina gained widespread popularity in Europe during the Middle Ages, thanks in part to the veneration of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, a 4th-century Christian martyr revered for her wisdom and courage. The legend of Saint Catherine, as recorded in the Golden Legend and other hagiographic works, contributed to the name's association with purity, intelligence, and strength of character.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Catherina can be found in the Liber Vitae, a medieval monastic memorial book from the 9th century, which lists individuals for whom prayers were offered. The name also appears in various medieval charters, chronicles, and literary works from across Europe.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Catherina. One of the most famous was Catherine of Siena (1347-1380), an Italian philosopher, theologian, and mystic who played a significant role in the Western Schism and was canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church. Another prominent figure was Catherine de' Medici (1519-1589), the Queen of France and influential regent during the French Renaissance.
Other noteworthy Catherinas include Catherine of Aragon (1485-1536), the first wife of King Henry VIII of England; Catherine the Great (1729-1796), the Empress of Russia known for her leadership and cultural achievements; and Catherine of Alexandria (c. 287-305), the early Christian martyr and saint whose legend popularized the name.
The name Catherina has also been borne by several literary figures, such as Catherine Sedgwick (1789-1867), an American novelist and educator, and Catherine Anne Porter (1890-1980), an American journalist, essayist, and Pulitzer Prize-winning writer. These individuals have contributed to the rich cultural and historical significance of the name Catherina over the centuries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Catherina over time
The chart below shows babies named Catherina registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2015. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Catherina, the clearest high point is 1997. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2015, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Catherina by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Catherina was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #5730 | 3 | 1 |
| 2000s | #5545 | 3 | 1 |
| 1990s | #3606 | 10 | 3 |
Geography
Where Catherina is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Catherina. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Catherina ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #508 in 1974.
Across the UK
Catherina in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#508 in 1974
1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Catherina
-
Catherina Dawson Giles
painter
British painter (1878-1955)
1878-1955
-
Catherina Llewellin
currier
currier in Hay
Related
Names similar to Catherina
- Chloe 111,265
- Charlotte 88,733
- Caitlin 28,931
- Courtney 23,162
- Chelsea 13,049
- Clara 9,435
- Connie 8,402
- Catherine 8,376
- Charlie 7,964
- Cerys 7,506
- Casey 7,018
- Cara 6,375
FAQ
Catherina: questions and answers
How popular is the name Catherina in the UK right now?
In 2015, Catherina was ranked #5730 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Catherina most popular?
The peak year on record was 1997, with 4 babies registered as Catherina in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Catherina?
A feminine name derived from the Greek Katharin, meaning "pure" or "chaste".
How many people are called Catherina in the UK?
A total of 16 babies have been registered as Catherina across the 5 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3 more in Scotland.
Where is Catherina most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Catherina ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #508 in 1974. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.