name meanings

KATHERINE

Gender: Feminine Usage: English Pronounced: KATH-ə-rin, KATH-rin   [key]

From the Greek name Αικατερινη (Aikaterine). The etymology is debated: it could derive from the earlier Greek name ‘Εκατερινη (Hekaterine), which came from ‘εκατερος (hekateros) "each of the two"; it could derive from the name of the goddess HECATE; it could be related to Greek αικια (aikia) "torture"; or it could be from a Coptic name meaning "my consecration of your name". In the early Christian era it became associated with Greek καθαρος (katharos) "pure", and the Latin spelling was changed from Katerina to Katharina to reflect this. The name was borne a semi-legendary 4th-century saint and martyr from Alexandria who was tortured on a spiked wheel. The saint was initially venerated in Syria, and the name was introduced to Western Europe by returning crusaders. It has been common in England since the 12th century in many different spellings, with Katherine and Catherine becoming standard in the later Middle Ages. Famous bearers of the name include Catherine of Siena, a 14th-century mystic, and Catherine de' Medici, a 16th-century French queen. It was also borne by three of Henry VIII's wives, including Katherine of Aragon, and by two empresses of Russia, including Catherine the Great.

Okay, okay, that's not how I (or my parents, rather) spell it.  But it is the traditional spelling.  I was curious.  Everywhere else I looked said that my name was derived from the Greek meaning "pure".  I knew there had to be more to it than that, plus I wanted to know what the original Greek name was.  Of course now I have to look up my middle name too.

MICHELLE

Gender: Feminine Usage: French, English Pronounced: mee-SHEL (French), mi-SHEL (English)   [key]

French feminine form of MICHEL. It has been common in the English-speaking world since the middle of the 20th century.

Okay, let's look up Michel then.

MICHEL

Gender: Masculine Usage: French, German Pronounced: mee-SHEL (French)   [key]

French form and German diminutive of MICHAEL. Michel de Notredame, also known as Nostradamus, was the 16th-century French astrologer who made predictions about future world events.

Oh good grief!

MICHAEL

Gender: Masculine Usage: English, German, Czech, Biblical Pronounced: MIE-kəl (English), MI-khah-el (German)   [key]

From the Hebrew name מִיכָאֵל (Mikha'el) meaning "who is like God?". This is a rhetorical question, implying no person is like God. Saint Michael was one of the seven archangels in Hebrew tradition and the only one identified as an archangel in the Bible. In the Book of Revelation in the New Testament he is portrayed as the leader of heaven's armies, and thus is considered the patron saint of soldiers. The popularity of the saint led to the name being used by nine Byzantine emperors, including Michael VIII Palaeologus who restored the empire in the 13th century. It has been common in Western Europe since the Middle Ages, and in England since the 12th century. It has been borne (in various spellings) by rulers of Russia (spelled Михаил), Romania (Mihai), Poland (Michał), and Portugal (Miguel). Other more modern bearers of this name include the British chemist/physicist Michael Faraday (1791-1867) and basketball player Michael Jordan (1963-).

That's...interesting.  All this info came from behindthename.com

My mom told me recently that I was almost Lindsay.  Ew.  But then she decided to name me after her favorite movie star, Katharine Hepburn.  My sister is named after her favorite soap star, Jaclyn Smith.  *snigger*