Variant spelling of Catherine, from Greek 'katharos' meaning pure; borne by many saints and queens.
Catharine is one of the oldest variant spellings of what is arguably the most enduring women's name in Western history. The name derives from the Greek *Aikaterine*, whose etymology has been debated for centuries — the most widely accepted derivation links it to *katharos*, meaning 'pure' or 'unsullied,' though some scholars trace it to an earlier, pre-Greek source. The name spread through Christendom via Saint Catherine of Alexandria, a 4th-century martyr of legendary intellect who allegedly confounded fifty pagan philosophers in debate before her execution.
Her wheel of torture became one of the most recognized symbols in medieval iconography. The '-a-' spelling in Catharine (versus the more common Catherine or Katherine) reflects an older English orthographic tradition. It was the spelling preferred in many 18th- and early 19th-century documents and appears frequently in colonial American records and British parish registers of that period.
Several notable bearers used this form: Catharine Sedgwick (1789–1867), one of the most widely read American novelists of her era, and various aristocratic women across Georgian Britain. The spelling gives the name a slightly archival, distinguished quality — the same name but dressed in older clothes. By the 20th century, the Catherine and Katherine spellings dominated, and Catharine became marked as a deliberate choice rather than the default.
Today, parents choosing this form tend to be drawn to its historical register — the sense that it existed before standardized spelling ironed out such variations, that it connects to an older, more handwritten world. The name remains elegant, internationally recognized, and carries centuries of formidable women in its etymology.