Name meaning & stats
Katherine
Katherine (Ancient Greek origin). 519,063 US babies since 1940, peak 1990. Notable Katherines are 1.3× over-represented as professors.
What it means
No agreed meaning on record
Ancient Greek
A spelling of Catherine.
In US birth records
Peak year: 1990
519,063 US babies were named Katherine between 1940 and 2025.
Where Katherines end up
| Career | vs expected | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Actor | 1.1× | High · 71 people |
| Writer | 1.2× | High · 53 people |
| Professor | 1.3× | High · 31 people |
| Journalist | 1.2× | Medium · 23 people |
Among notable women who are professors, Katherines show up 1.3× 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…
Katherine has a surprise career: 1.5×
Spelling family
The most common spelling: 37% of the family
- 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 1990)