Kathryn Girl

Popularity: #579 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: KATH-rin //ˈkæθrɪn//

Origin: Greek; English

Meaning: Greek: pure; English: variant of Catherine

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Kathryn has its roots in the ancient Greek name 'Aikaterine,' which is believed to derive from the Greek word 'katharos,' meaning 'pure.' This name was adopted into Latin as 'Catherina,' which later evolved into various forms in different languages. The transition into Old French as 'Catherine' occurred during the medieval period, particularly as the name gained prominence through the influence of saints and royal figures.

The English form 'Kathryn' emerged in the 20th century as a variant of 'Catherine,' reflecting a trend towards unique spellings of traditional names. Historically, the name Kathryn has been associated with several notable figures, most prominently Saint Catherine of Alexandria, a Christian martyr from the 4th century, who was venerated in both the Eastern and Western Christian traditions.

Her story was popularized in various hagiographies, and she became a symbol of wisdom and learning. The name's presence in the English-speaking world was further solidified by its inclusion in significant texts, such as the King James Bible, where the name Catherine appears in various forms, contributing to its cultural resonance.

The enduring appeal of the name Kathryn can be attributed to its associations with purity and virtue, as well as its connection to revered historical and religious figures. The name has been embraced in literature and art, often symbolizing strength and resilience.

Additionally, diminutive forms such as Kate and Katie have emerged, reflecting affection and familiarity while maintaining ties to the original name. Overall, Kathryn's rich etymological history and cultural significance have established it as a name with deep roots in both linguistic and historical contexts.

Famous people named Kathryn

In this section, you will find notable people named Kathryn. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Kathryn who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Kathryn who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Kathryn Bigelow is a director and producer best known for The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty, and Point Break.

Kathryn Hahn is an actress best known for Transparent, Parks and Recreation, and WandaVision.

Kathryn Morris is an actress best known for Cold Case, Minority Report, and The Time Machine.

Kathryn Heigl is an actress and producer best known for Grey's Anatomy, Knocked Up, and 27 Dresses.

Kathryn Lasky is an author best known for the Guardians of Ga'Hoole series and the Wolves of the Beyond series.

Kathryn Joosten is an actress best known for Desperate Housewives, The West Wing, and The Practice.

Kathryn Grayson is a singer and actress best known for Anchors Aweigh, Kiss Me Kate, and Show Boat.

Fictional characters named Kathryn

The following list of fictional characters named Kathryn is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Kathryn Janeway is a fictional character from the TV series Star Trek: Voyager. She is the captain of the starship Voyager, leading her crew on a journey home from the Delta Quadrant.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Kathryn, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

EmilySarahJessicaLauraMeganRachel

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Kathryn. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

KatherineCaitlinKatrinaKarenKarlaKaitlynKathyKatrin

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Kathryn was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Kathryn has ranked as high as #89 nationally, which occurred in 1952, and has been most popular in Pennsylvania, California, New York, Illinois, and Ohio.

In the past 5 years the name Kathryn has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Kathryn is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Kathryn was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Top States for Kathryn (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.

State Births Share
TX 35
10%
CA 34
9%
PA 30
8%
NC 25
7%
GA 18
5%
OH 15
4%
IN 14
4%
KY 13
4%
VA 13
4%
FL 13
4%
NY 12
3%
TN 11
3%
MO 11
3%
AL 10
3%
IL 10
3%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Kathryn.

YearBirths
2024391
2023432
2022452
2021510
2020574
2019650
2018698
2017748
2016839
20151,021
20141,118
20131,184
20121,230
20111,337
20101,370
20091,520
20081,782
20072,215
20062,419
20052,579
20042,757
20032,948
20023,108
20013,332
20003,644
19993,589
19983,703
19973,873
19964,102
19954,328
19944,620
19935,092
19925,687
19915,832
19906,353
19896,294
19886,342
19876,237
19866,393
19856,634
19846,538
19836,372
19826,284
19815,823
19805,528
19795,312
19784,808
19773,965
19763,263
19752,947
19742,991
19732,885
19723,127
19713,420
19703,718
19693,617
19683,561
19673,695
19664,008
19654,157
19644,924
19634,701
19625,107
19615,227
19605,867
19596,745
19587,324
19577,211
19567,594
19557,641
19548,137
19538,324
19528,504
19518,460
19507,863
19497,184
19486,177
19476,091
19464,998
19453,971
19443,855
19433,647
19423,350
19412,869
19402,438
19392,379
19382,282
19372,326
19362,110
19352,127
19342,258
19332,121
19322,263
19312,202
19302,515
19292,434
19282,681
19272,933
19263,094
19253,262
19243,598
19233,714
19223,792
19214,201
19204,082
19193,825
19184,068
19173,984
19163,933
19153,778
19142,901
19132,246
19121,905
19111,397
19101,198
19091,138
19081,058
1907864
1906911
1905788
1904787
1903729
1902717
1901620
1900721
1899621
1898671
1897570
1896625
1895585
1894520
1893534
1892549
1891504
1890474
1889415
1888446
1887384
1886383
1885320
1884344
1883290
1882272
1881218
1880204