Katharine

Katharine is an English form of the Latin Katarina and Greek Aikaterinē, a name whose precise root remains debated; the most widely accepted theory connects it to the Greek katharos, meaning pure or clean, though earlier forms of the name predate this folk etymology. The name spread widely through medieval Europe largely due to the veneration of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, a fourth-century martyr whose legend made the name enormously popular among Christians. Katharine was a favored spelling in England, borne notably by Katharine of Aragon, first wife of Henry VIII. Closely related forms include Catherine, Katherine, Katarina, Katerina, and the diminutives Kate, Kitty, and Karen.