Katherine is a distinctive boys' name in United States, ranking #11838 in 2008 with 6 recorded births. This places Katherine in the bottom 19% of ranked US boys' names for the year. Its actual usage is classified as Rare. The name reached its all-time peak in 2004 with 32 births ranking #3113. Since 1996, the popularity has decreased by 57.1%. In 2008, approximately 1 in every 339,991 boys born was named Katherine. RISING Recent data shows the name is currently rising.
Katherine is a long-established classic usually understood to mean 'pure'. It is elegant, steady, and one of the most enduring formal girls' names in English.
The name spread widely in Christian Europe through saints and royal use, which helped create a large family of related forms in many languages. Its history gives it both familiarity and depth.