I like Katherine more than Anna, but I like them both.
I don't think Kathy is the go-to nickname for Katherine, anymore. These days, she'd be a Katy/Katie, or a Kate. Kathy is more dated. You could also go with Kat or Kitty. Not so crazy about Kitty myself, but I think Kat sounds cool.
Katharine is a cool spelling- I like it. I didn't used to, but it grew on me.
Anna is nice, and it has a warm, friendly feel, but I would never use in IRL. Too close to my mother's name, and yes, I think it's a bit too plain.
This message was edited 1/7/2012, 8:50 AM