UK girl's name
Katherina
A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "pure, blessed".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2022. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Katherina is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Katherina popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2022 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5669, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2004, with 4 births.
This profile covers 27 England and Wales registrations across 8 recorded years from 2001 to 2022. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, 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 27 living people in the UK are called Katherina. 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 2023 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Katherina ranked #5669 for girls in England and Wales in 2022, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2004, when 4 girls were registered as Katherina.
- • About 27 living people in the UK are estimated to have Katherina as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5669
2022
Births in 2022
3
Latest year
Peak year
2004
4 births
Estimated living
27
2026
Meaning
What does Katherina mean?
The name Katherina originated from the Greek name Katharina, which is derived from the ancient Greek word 'katharos' meaning 'pure' or 'clear'. It is a variant of the name Katherine, which was also derived from the same Greek root.
The name Katherina gained popularity during the early Christian era, as it was borne by several early Christian saints and martyrs. One of the most notable was St. Katharina of Alexandria, who is said to have been a Christian martyr in the 4th century AD. Her story was widely circulated in the Middle Ages, contributing to the widespread use of the name across Europe.
In the Byzantine Empire, the name Katherina was popular among the nobility and royalty. One of the earliest recorded examples of the name is Katherina of Braganza, a Portuguese princess who married King Charles II of England in 1662.
During the Renaissance period, the name Katherina was particularly popular in Italy, where it was often spelled as Caterina. One of the most famous bearers of the name was Caterina de' Medici, who was born in 1519 and served as the Queen of France from 1547 until her death in 1589.
In Russia, the name Katherina was also widely used among the aristocracy. One of the most renowned Russian Emperors, Catherine the Great, was born in 1729 with the name Sophia Augusta Frederica, but adopted the name Catherina (later anglicized to Catherine) upon her conversion to the Russian Orthodox faith.
Other notable historical figures with the name Katherina include:
1. Katherina von Bora (1499-1552), a former nun who married Martin Luther, the leader of the Protestant Reformation. 2. Katherina Kepler (1546-1622), the mother of the famous astronomer Johannes Kepler. 3. Katherina Blum (1670-1706), a German writer and poet. 4. Katherina Lescova (1920-1976), a Russian writer and playwright. 5. Katherina Reiche (1923-2004), a German physicist and pioneer in the field of radiation protection.
The name Katherina has been used across various cultures and time periods, reflecting its enduring popularity and historical significance.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Katherina over time
The chart below shows babies named Katherina registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2001 to 2022. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Katherina, the clearest high point is 2004. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2022, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Katherina by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Katherina 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 | #5262 | 10 | 3 |
| 2010s | #5679 | 6 | 2 |
| 2000s | #3898 | 11 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Katherina
- Katie 53,185
- Keira 14,411
- Katherine 11,323
- Kayleigh 10,677
- Kate 10,276
- Kelsey 7,224
- Kiera 7,218
- Kayla 6,541
- Kirsty 6,384
- Khadija 5,948
- Kimberley 5,189
- Kaitlyn 5,137
FAQ
Katherina: questions and answers
How popular is the name Katherina in the UK right now?
In 2022, Katherina was ranked #5669 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Katherina most popular?
The peak year on record was 2004, with 4 babies registered as Katherina in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Katherina?
A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "pure, blessed".
How many people are called Katherina in the UK?
A total of 27 babies have been registered as Katherina across the 8 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
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.