Kateri

Actually, I have been thinking a lot about use of this name (and potentially Tekakwitha) among non-Mohawk American Catholics, and I’ve concluded if done with an attitude of respect, is not offensive. And either name can be pronounced in whatever way makes sense to you in your language/dialect. Kateri Tekakwitha was a Mohawk woman, in a particular culture, which has certain meanings attached to names, customs of naming, procedures and significance of naming, reasons why people are given names, etc. Like all cultures. Within its culture, what is appropriate to name someone must be adhered to. Outside it, in a different culture, you must observe the naming conventions in your culture, for example, it would not be considered appropriate to someone “SheWhoBumpsIntoThings Smith” in English. But it is acceptable to use many names from other languages which are not English words. And the pronunciation, spelling, is altered over time to fit with our language. Catherine from Greek Aikaterine, John from what it was in Hebrew and countless others. Of course the culture and naming significance differs in the modern English speaking world from Ancient Greece, the Hebrew culture etc. It is not disrespectful it is just the way names work in English.

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Furthermore, as a Saint, Kateri Tekakwitha’s name now is not just of her tribe but the universal Church. It is fitting that Catholics from many countries should honor her by using her name. In doing so, they make her people more well known.

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I do think American Catholics could do better in trying to understand Native Americans- for instance, holy cards depicting St. Kateri Tekakwitha could do some research and depict her specifically wearing what a woman of her time and place would wear, rather than going for a generic stereotype— but naming children after the saint is a good thing.

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I personally love the name, it evokes the entire lesser known (to Anglo-Americans) era of Native and French trade. Definitely worth reading the accounts and learning everything about this time, with compassion to all the different people. Kateri would also be a good nickname for Catherine. It is very very interesting that the Mohawk pronunciation is Goh-dah-lee, but I think that would be impossible to achieve in how people address you unless you were Mohawk.

Very pretty :)

I don’t really understand why people are getting mad that English-speaking people are pronouncing this “kah-ter-ree” instead of the authentic Mohawk pronunciation “Gah-Dow-Lee”. I don’t disagree that that’s how it’s pronounced, but can’t “kah-ter-tee” be the English pronunciation of this name, since we have a K, T, and R sound?

I thank the posters who have provided the proper Mohawk pronunciation. However, I do not think non-Mohawk parents need to be faulted for using it in honor of the saint and pronouncing it otherwise. (Either Kat-er-i or Ka-TERRI, any more than St. Kateri herself needs to be faulted for taking a French name Catherine at her baptism and pronouncing it Goh-da-lee. If people were using Tekakwitha and butchering it, it seems like more of a problem.

The reason I know this name is because it is the name of the patron saint of my school. It's very lovely and beautiful.

I only like this name becasue it's close to one of my personal favorites: Katari. I pronounce it ka-TAR-ie.