Name meaning & stats
Catherine
Catherine means “each of the two” (Ancient Greek origin). 428,724 US babies since 1940, peak 1956. Notable Catherines are 2.0× over-represented as professors.
What it means
“each of the two”
Ancient GreekDebated
Of debated meaning.
In US birth records
Peak year: 1956
428,724 US babies were named Catherine between 1940 and 2025.
Where Catherines end up
| Career | vs expected | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Writer | 1.3× | High · 104 people |
| Actor | 0.9× | High · 103 people |
| Professor | 2.0× | High · 88 people |
| Politician | 0.9× | High · 58 people |
Among notable women who are professors, Catherines show up 2.0× as often as you'd expect from how common the name is.
Notable people born 1940–2005 in the US, UK, Canada and Australia (Wikidata). Patterns, not destiny.
One more thing…
Catherine has a surprise career: 1.8×
Spelling family
1 in 3 Katherines spell it Catherine
- Katherine 37%
- Catherine 31%
- Kathryn 25%
- Katharine 2%
- Cathryn 1%
- Kathrine 1%
- Katheryn 1%
- Catharine <1%
- Cathrine <1%
- Kathryne <1%
Names that sound the same, grouped by Heyotag. Share of US babies since 1940.
Name twins (peaked around 1956)