Katariina

Katariina is the Finnish and Estonian form of Katherine, derived from the Greek name Aikaterine, whose exact root remains debated but is most commonly associated with the Greek word katharos, meaning pure or clean. The name gained widespread use across Europe through the veneration of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, a fourth-century martyr who became one of the most popular saints of the medieval period. Katariina has been a common given name in Finland for centuries, bolstered further by the fame of Catherine the Great, the eighteenth-century Empress of Russia, whose name was rendered in Finnish as Katariina. Related forms include Katarina, Katarzyna, Katharina, and Catherine.