Kaja

Kaja is a Scandinavian and Slavic feminine name with multiple independent origins. In Norwegian, Danish, and Swedish use, it functions as a diminutive of Katarina, itself the Scandinavian form of Katherine, ultimately derived from the Greek Aikaterine, whose meaning remains debated but is often associated with katharos, meaning pure. In Polish and Slovene contexts it similarly serves as a short form of Katarzyna or Katarina, while in Estonian it developed as an independent name, possibly influenced by the word for jackdaw, a type of crow. Related forms include Katja, Kaija, and the Czech variant Kája.