NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Katharine

Of Greek origin, meaning "pure" and "constant".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Katharine is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Katharine popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4709, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1997, with 152 births.

This profile covers 1,130 England and Wales registrations across 26 recorded years from 1996 to 2023. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, 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 3% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 1,524 living people in the UK are called Katharine. 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 2024 or 2026.

Key insights

  • • Katharine ranked #4709 for girls in England and Wales in 2023, with 4 registrations.
  • • The name peaked in 1997, when 152 girls were registered as Katharine.
  • • Katharine ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #372 in 2004.
  • • About 1,524 living people in the UK are estimated to have Katharine as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#4709

2023

Births in 2023

4

Latest year

Peak year

1997

152 births

Estimated living

1,524

2026

Meaning

What does Katharine mean?

The name Katharine originates from the Greek name Aikaterine, which is derived from the combination of the Greek words "katharos" meaning "pure" and "ather" meaning "innocence". This name eventually evolved into the Latin form "Catharina" and the English form "Katherine" or "Katharine".

The name first gained popularity during the late 3rd century AD, when St. Catherine of Alexandria, a Christian martyr, was venerated for her faith and bravery. She was allegedly a highly educated young woman who converted to Christianity and was subsequently tortured and executed for her beliefs.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name can be found in the 12th century, when Katharine of Aragon, the first wife of King Henry VIII of England, was born in 1485. She played a significant role in the English Reformation and the annulment of her marriage to Henry VIII led to the establishment of the Church of England.

Another notable figure in history was Katharine Graham, the former publisher of The Washington Post, who was born in 1917 and played a crucial role in the Watergate scandal by publishing the Pentagon Papers. Her unwavering commitment to journalistic integrity and freedom of the press earned her widespread respect and admiration.

In the literary world, Katharine Lee Bates, born in 1859, was an American writer and poet best known for her patriotic poem "America the Beautiful". The poem, written in 1893, became a beloved American hymn and a symbol of national pride.

Katharine Hepburn, born in 1907, was a legendary American actress who won four Academy Awards and was celebrated for her independent spirit and unconventional lifestyle. She was a trailblazer in the film industry and her performances in movies such as "The Philadelphia Story" and "The African Queen" remain iconic.

Finally, Katharine Jefferts Schori, born in 1954, made history as the first female Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States. Her appointment in 2006 was a significant milestone for gender equality and empowerment within the Christian faith.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Katharine over time

The chart below shows babies named Katharine registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Katharine, the clearest high point is 1997. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2023, compared with 152 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Katharine
03876114152199620092023

Decades

Katharine by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Katharine 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
2020s #4418 13 3
2010s #2778 99 9
2000s #731 500 10
1990s #287 518 4

Geography

Where Katharine is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Katharine. 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.

Katharine ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #372 in 2004.

Scotland
5
Northern Ireland
3

Across the UK

Katharine in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#552 in 2007

33 years of NRS records, 397 total registered

Northern Ireland (NISRA)

#372 in 2004

3 years of NISRA records, 11 total registered

Notable bearers

Famous people named Katharine

  • Katharine Winks

    cricketer

    English cricketer (born 1978)

    1978-

  • Katharine Viner

    writer; playwright; journalist

    British journalist and playwright (born 1971)

    1971-

  • Katharine Towers

    poet

    poet

    1961-

  • Katharine Whitehorn

    writer; journalist

    British writer (1928–2021)

    1928-2021

  • Katharine Tait

    essayist

    noblewoman; British writer

    1923-2021

  • Katharine Stewart

    writer; crofter; novelist

    British author, crofter, teacher and postmistress (1914-2013)

    1914-2013

  • Katharine Westaway

    classical scholar; head teacher

    English classical scholar and headmistress (1893-1973)

    1893-1973

  • Katharine Woolley

    draftsperson

    British drawer (1888–1945)

    1888-1945

Related

Names similar to Katharine

FAQ

Katharine: questions and answers

How popular is the name Katharine in the UK right now?

In 2023, Katharine was ranked #4709 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.

When was Katharine most popular?

The peak year on record was 1997, with 152 babies registered as Katharine in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Katharine?

Of Greek origin, meaning "pure" and "constant".

How many people are called Katharine in the UK?

A total of 1,130 babies have been registered as Katharine across the 26 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 397 more in Scotland and 11 in Northern Ireland.

Where is Katharine most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Katharine ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #372 in 2004. 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.