Meaning & History
Kata is a short form with significant cultural cachet in several European languages: it serves as a Hungarian short form of Katalin, a Finnish short form of Katariina, and a Croatian short form of Katarina. All these names ultimately trace back to the Greek name Aikaterine, better known in its Latinized form Katherine. The root meaning is debated but may derive from Greek ἑκάτερος (hekateros) meaning “each of the two,” from the goddess Hecate, or from a Coptic phrase meaning “my consecration of your name.” Early Christian reinterpretation associated the name with Greek καθαρός (katharos), “pure,” which influenced the spelling shift to Katharina. As a compact diminutive, Kata carries the same multilayered heritage while being quick and familiar in informal registers.
Related Names
Variants
Other Languages & Cultures
(Russian)
Katerina (Ancient Greek)
Aikaterine (Basque)
Katalin, Kattalin (Belarusian)
Katsiaryna (Ukrainian)
Karyna (Breton)
Katarin, Katell (Macedonian)
Katina (Russian)
Ekaterina (Ukrainian)
Katia, Katya (Italian)
Caterina (Spanish)
Catalina (Czech)
Kateřina (Swedish)
Karin (Slovak)
Katka (Swedish)
Cathrine, Catrine, Katarina (Norwegian)
Kathrine, Katrine (Danish)
Caja (Swedish)
Ina, Kaja 1 (Norwegian)
Karen 1 (Swedish)
Karina, Katharina, Katja (Danish)
Trine (Swedish)
Catharina (Dutch)
Katrien, Katrijn, Cato 2 (German)
Katinka (Italian)
Rina 1 (Dutch)
Rini, Riny (Swedish)
Tina (Dutch)
Tineke, Trijntje (Irish)
Caitlin (French)
Catherine (Irish)
Cathleen (Scottish)
Catrina (English)
Katherine (Irish)
Kathleen (Scottish)
Katrina (English)
Caren, Caryn, Cat, Cate, Catharine, Catherin, Catherina, Cathie, Cathryn, Cathy, Kae, Kaety, Karena, Karyn, Kat, Kate, Katee, Katey (German)
Katharine (English)
Katharyn (German)
Katherina (English)
Katheryn, Katheryne, Kathi, Kathie, Kathryn, Kathy, Katie, Katy, Kay 1, Kaye, Kerena, Kit, Kittie, Kitty, Trina (Estonian)
Kadri 1, Katariina, Kätlin (Swedish)
Katrin (Estonian)
Kadi, Kai 2 (Norwegian)
Kaia (Estonian)
Kaidi, Kaie, Kaisa, Kati, Riin, Riina, Triin, Triinu (Flemish)
Katelijn, Katelijne (French)
Carine, Karine 1 (Frisian)
Nienke, Nine, Nynke (Portuguese)
Catarina (Galician)
Catuxa (Georgian)
Eka 2, Ekaterine (German)
Cathrin (Welsh)
Catrin (German)
Katarine, Käthe, Kathrin (Greek)
Aikaterini, Ekaterini, Kaiti, Keti 2 (Hawaiian)
Kakalina, Kalena (History)
Kateri (Icelandic)
Katrín (Irish)
Caitlín, Caitríona (Scottish)
Catriona, Katriona (Irish)
Cáit, Caitria, Ríona, Tríona (Italian)
Catia, Katiuscia (Latvian)
Katrīna, Karīna, Keita 2, Ketija, Kitija (Lithuanian)
Kotryna, Katrė (Maori)
Kataraina (Medieval French)
Cateline (Norwegian)
Kari 1, Karine 2 (Polish)
Katarzyna, Kasia (Portuguese)
Cátia (Romanian)
Cătălina, Catina, Catrinel, Ecaterina (Russian)
Jekaterina, Katenka, Katyusha, Yekaterina (Sardinian)
Caderina (Scottish Gaelic)
Caitrìona (Slovak)
Katarína (Slovene)
Inja, Katica (Spanish)
Lina 2 (Spanish (Latin American))
Katalina, Katiuska (Swedish)
Cajsa, Carin, Carina 2, Kajsa (Ukrainian)
Kateryna (Welsh)
Cadi