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Name Origin

Katharine is a feminine given name of Greek origin. It is a variant spelling of Catherine, which means 'pure' or 'clear'.

greekfeminineclassictraditionalpureclearreligious

Famous People

Katharine Hepburn (1907-2003)

Actress

  • Won a record four Academy Awards for Best Actress
  • Known for her strong-willed and independent characters
  • Starred in classic films such as 'The Philadelphia Story', 'Bringing Up Baby', and 'The African Queen'

Katharine Graham (1917-2001)

Publisher

  • First female publisher of a major American newspaper (The Washington Post)
  • Oversaw the publication of the Pentagon Papers, which exposed government secrecy about the Vietnam War
  • Awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service

Katharine Jefferts Schori (1954-)

Bishop

  • First female Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church (USA)