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Home › Baby Names Directory › Katerina

Katerina

♀ Girl

Pronounced kat-eh-REE-nah /kæt.əˈriː.nə/Low

Meaning: Pure, clean, unsulliedLow

In 30 seconds: Katerina is the Greek and Eastern European form of Catherine, from the Greek katharos meaning pure. With four melodious syllables and a classical elegance, it is widely used across Russia, Bulgaria, Greece, and other Slavic and Mediterranean countries.
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Origin LowGreek, Slavic
MeaningPure, clean, unsullied
U.S. rank (2025)#1431 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births151 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1998
Total births (all-time)≈ 8,017

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 199819542025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Katerina is the Greek and Slavic form of Catherine, from the Greek katharos meaning pure. Saint Catherine of Alexandria (died around 305 CE) popularized the name throughout the Christian world, and Katerina became the standard form in Greek and Slavic countries.

Katerina is popular in Russia, Bulgaria, Greece, Czech Republic, and Slovakia. In the United States it is associated with European elegance and is used among families with Eastern European heritage. The popular TV series The Vampire Diaries featured a character named Katerina.

Did you know? Catherine the Great of Russia was born Sophie Friederike Auguste von Anhalt-Zerbst but took the Russian form Yekaterina (a form of Katerina) upon converting to Russian Orthodoxy — making this name synonymous with imperial power and brilliance.
Overall data confidence 90%
Behind the Name: Catherine

Variations

CatherineKatarinaKatrinaEkaterina

Nicknames

KateKatKatiRina

Famous Bearers

  • ★Catherine the Great (Yekaterina II) (1729-1796)
    Empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796 who presided over the Russian Enlightenment and expanded the empire
  • ★Katerina Sakellaropoulou (b. 1956)
    Greek jurist who served as the first woman President of Greece, 2020-2025

If you like Katerina…

Katarina— Slavic variant of same name
Katrina— Shortened form of same root
Christiana— the same classic feel
Ariadna— a fellow Greek choice
Illiana— a fellow Greek choice

Explore names like Katerina

By themegreekclassicslavicfour-syllableeuropeanpure
By meaningPurity

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does Katerina mean?

Katerina means pure or clean from the Greek katharos. It is the Greek and Slavic form of Catherine.

Is Katerina a Russian name?

Yes, Katerina is widely used in Russia and other Slavic and Eastern European countries as the local form of Catherine.

How do you pronounce Katerina?

Katerina is pronounced kat-eh-REE-nah with four syllables.

What are nicknames for Katerina?

Nicknames for Katerina include Kate, Kat, and Rina.

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