Katharine

Katharine is an English and German form of the Greek name Aikaterine, whose earlier form Hekaterine may derive from the Greek word hekateros, meaning each of the two, though another proposed connection links it to the name of the goddess Hekate. The name gained widespread use in the Christian world through Saint Catherine of Alexandria, a martyred scholar venerated from early medieval times, and was further popularized by queens and empresses including Catherine of Aragon and Catherine the Great. Katharine is one of several spelling variants of this enduringly popular name, alongside Katherine, Catherine, and Kathryn, with short forms including Kate, Katie, and Kathy.