How to say it
cat · a · LI · na
/ˌkæt.əˈli.nə/
Feminine
Catalina
Pure
What it means
Spanish form of Katherine, from Greek katharos ('pure'). Also the Catalan name for the Spanish region of Catalonia, and the California island Santa Catalina.
Catalina is the Spanish form of Katherine, from the Greek katharos ('pure'). The name spread through Spanish Catholic communities and into Latin American naming traditions over centuries. Catalina de Aragón (Catherine of Aragon, the first wife of Henry VIII) was Spanish-born. Santa Catalina Island off the coast of California was named for Saint Catherine; the 1958 song Catalina by The Four Preps anchors the place name. The first-name usage in the US has surged with broader Latino-name adoption; Catalina entered the US top 500 in 2014 and is climbing. Cata is the common short.
Popularity over time
peaked at #111 in 2025, currently #111 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Nickname
Cata is the universal Spanish short; Cat and Kate also work in English-speaking contexts.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Catalina de Aragón Catherine of Aragon, first wife of Henry VIII (Spanish form)
- Santa Catalina Island California island off the coast of Long Beach
Spelling variants
- Catarina
- Katarina
- Katalin
Names with the same feeling
See Catalina from another angle
By style