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ArchivesAtt. Pavlos: Two questions concerning KATHERINE
1. The original meaning of the is debated - to say the least. BTN lists a few interpretations, but I found two more, about one of which I'd like to know more. (The other one is just funny: katha = complete + ruina = fall; this from Legenda Aurea by Jacobus de Voragine.)
Now the other one says, it means "ever pure" and refers to the older form Aikaterine. Now I wonder: what is the "ever-" part supposed to be? "ai"? Or "ei"? My Greek dictionary doesn't give a hint.
2. I also found that Aikaterine is still the more popular form of the name in Greece today. Can you confirm this?
Now the other one says, it means "ever pure" and refers to the older form Aikaterine. Now I wonder: what is the "ever-" part supposed to be? "ai"? Or "ei"? My Greek dictionary doesn't give a hint.
2. I also found that Aikaterine is still the more popular form of the name in Greece today. Can you confirm this?
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Replies
Andy, Katherine is a name whose origins have always stumped me!
Concerning the "ever-pure" theory, it is probably a based on "aei" (áåß), meaning "for ever", and "kathare" (káèáñÞ) meaning clean/pure. I really suspect that all explanations pased on "kathare" are paraetymological. Moreover, I have found no record of Aikaterini written with a theta (AikaTHEerini) in medieval or contemporary Greece records . Professor George Babiniotis of Panteion University, a well respected etymologist, adopts the Hecaterine / Hecate connection. On the other hand, http://www.lgpn.ox.ac.uk has no record of any Hecaterines in the classical Greek world, although the fem. names Hecataia. Hecataiae, Hecatea, Hecato, etc appear.
2. Aikaterine is a perennial top-10 name in Greece. However, most Catherines in Greece today go by "Katerina" which is lighter and less formal (although their ID cards do register "Aikaterine").
Concerning the "ever-pure" theory, it is probably a based on "aei" (áåß), meaning "for ever", and "kathare" (káèáñÞ) meaning clean/pure. I really suspect that all explanations pased on "kathare" are paraetymological. Moreover, I have found no record of Aikaterini written with a theta (AikaTHEerini) in medieval or contemporary Greece records . Professor George Babiniotis of Panteion University, a well respected etymologist, adopts the Hecaterine / Hecate connection. On the other hand, http://www.lgpn.ox.ac.uk has no record of any Hecaterines in the classical Greek world, although the fem. names Hecataia. Hecataiae, Hecatea, Hecato, etc appear.
2. Aikaterine is a perennial top-10 name in Greece. However, most Catherines in Greece today go by "Katerina" which is lighter and less formal (although their ID cards do register "Aikaterine").
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Thank you, Pavlos!
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Ha! It seems Webster's adopts the "Hecate" explanation...
""Catherine" is a name that signifies or is derived from: "far away""
http://www.websters-online-dictionary.org/definition/catherine
""Catherine" is a name that signifies or is derived from: "far away""
http://www.websters-online-dictionary.org/definition/catherine
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Thanks!
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