Katherine
Katherine comes from the Greek "Aikaterine," of uncertain origin. The most popular theory traces it to "katharos," meaning pure. Saint Catherine of Alexandria was, according to legend, a 4th-century scholar and martyr whose body was transported by angels to Mount Sinai, where the monastery of Saint Catherine still stands. Catherine (or Katherine) of Aragon was the first wife of Henry VIII. Katherine has been in the US top 1000 every year since 1880, and in the top 100 for most of that time. It peaked at #25 in 1988. Katherine Hepburn (1907-2003), the actress who won four Best Actress Oscars (still a record), is one of the most celebrated American actresses. Katherine Johnson (1918-2020), the NASA mathematician whose calculations enabled the first American crewed spaceflights, was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015. I find Katherine has an elegant, slightly formal quality — the "K" opening is firm, the "th" gives it an archaic texture, and the "ine" ending gives it length. The name has been in steady decline since 1990 but has too much history to disappear. Katherine is a female name of Greek origin that means "Pure (from Aikaterine)". Elegant, formal, and classic. The name sounds historic. Katherines tend to be capable. US top 100 most years since 1880. Well-known people named Katherine include Katherine Hepburn (actress), Katherine Johnson (mathematician), Saint Catherine of Alexandria, Katherine (fictional, various). Common variations and related forms of Katherine include Catherine (variant), Katharine (variant), Caitlin (Irish), Ekaterina (Russian), Karen (Danish).