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Original poster

Pronouncing Katherine

81 replies

YogiYogiBear · 23/01/2024 22:36

How would you pronounce Katherine?
Kath-ur-rine or Kath-rinn

I prefer the pronunciation Kath-rinn but not sure if the Katherine spelling is right for that.

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KirstenBlest · 24/01/2024 14:57

Kathryn

CatherineHolly · 24/01/2024 14:56

HeadNW · 24/01/2024 14:14

Caff

😆

Sorry. Yes, Cath-rinn, no matter how it’s spelt.

I'm Catherine, Cath-rin, or Cath-er-in , I don't mind.

"Caff" i correct.

Growlybear83 · 24/01/2024 14:50

I agree that the standard pronunciation of Arron and Clara was always Air-Ron and Claire-a until fairly recently.

I don't really understand why there is so much debate about the pronunciation of Katherine - there is an 'e' in the middle of the name, and it has three syllables. Perhaps many people do pronounce it as Kath-rinn, but they're not pronouncing it correctly or how it's spelled.

saraclara · 24/01/2024 14:48

Yep, the first time I heard A-ron I was surprised, and thought it was because he was Scottish. And the first Clah-ra I heard of had a German mum.

Pemba · 24/01/2024 14:46

Well @DappledThings I am 60 and I am telling you that's how it was. I had an old great aunt Clara, born in around 1890 and everyone said Clair-a. I was at school with an Aaron (Air-on), there was even a rhyme about Aaron in which it rhymes with 'square un'. I suppose one reason could be that Clara was popular in Victorian times, but then disappeared until quite recently, so it came back like a new name (the years in between it was mostly Claires). Aaron was very unusual too until quite recently.

saraclara · 24/01/2024 14:43

DappledThings · 24/01/2024 14:33

Like nowadays people on Baby Names will swear blind it has always been Klah-ra (Clara) and Arr-on (Aaron). But I remember in my lifetime the standard UK pronunciations being Clair-a and Air-on. I am not that ancient.
I am 44 and yes I am going to swear blind to that! Never heard anyone say Clair-a and Air-on I have heard but think of it as a more American pronunciation.

Air-on was the standard pronunciation not all that long ago. I knew several (one of them my Godson) and they'd all be in their mid to late 40s now.

DappledThings · 24/01/2024 14:33

Like nowadays people on Baby Names will swear blind it has always been Klah-ra (Clara) and Arr-on (Aaron). But I remember in my lifetime the standard UK pronunciations being Clair-a and Air-on. I am not that ancient.
I am 44 and yes I am going to swear blind to that! Never heard anyone say Clair-a and Air-on I have heard but think of it as a more American pronunciation.

HeadNW · 24/01/2024 14:14

Caff

😆

Sorry. Yes, Cath-rinn, no matter how it’s spelt.

Pemba · 24/01/2024 14:07

@eleanorwish really, as recently as that? And yet literally nobody would pronounce it like that nowadays. Isn't it weird how language shifts and changes so fast? And especially with pronunciation, it is not recorded of course, so nobody remembers...

Like nowadays people on Baby Names will swear blind it has always been Klah-ra (Clara) and Arr-on (Aaron). But I remember in my lifetime the standard UK pronunciations being Clair-a and Air-on. I am not that ancient.

I can't say I like Kath - rhyne at all though much prefer the standard modern way! I wonder why, in contrast, Caroline still has the old pronunciation. Then there's Clement-yne and Clement-een....

Petrine · 24/01/2024 13:58

Kath-er-in

eleanorwish · 24/01/2024 13:51

@Pemba I looked up the history of the Katherine St in my home town, and it was named after the daughter of one of the local landowners. The story goes that is how the name was pronounced then ( rhyming with wine)
This would have been about 150 years ago

Gowlett · 24/01/2024 12:48

Kath-ur-in.

Pavane · 24/01/2024 12:46

SmiteTheeWithThunderbolts · 23/01/2024 23:12

Usually as two syllables but sometimes as three, eg when enunciating clearly if someone needs to write it down or check a list.

The most important thing is to spell it with a kick-arse K and not a soppy C.

You and Anne Shirley.

OP, it's the same name, just variant spellings. The pronunciation isn't effected.

TraitorRoundTable · 24/01/2024 12:43

Username123343 · 23/01/2024 22:51

However it’s spelled - Catherine, Kathryn, Katherine - I pronounce them all the same.

Kath-rin.

This ^

VoleChomper · 24/01/2024 12:41

People who say they pronounce it as three syllables must have an imperceptible middle syllable as I’ve never noticed it being said that way.

Notmetoo · 24/01/2024 12:40

Clearinguptheclutter · 24/01/2024 12:35

I’d say them all broadly the same, Cath-rinn but with the smallest hint of a middle syllable

Yes i pronounce this way a very slight ur in the middle. If you don't want anyone to pronounce the middle syllable at all. I would use Kathryn there can be no confusion at all then.

Clearinguptheclutter · 24/01/2024 12:35

I’d say them all broadly the same, Cath-rinn but with the smallest hint of a middle syllable

Growlybear83 · 24/01/2024 12:33

I would pronounce Catherine/Katherine and Kathryn as they are spelled, so Kath-er-inn for Katherine. If I wanted the name to be pronounced Kath-rinn, then I would spell it as Kathryn.

BreakfastClub80 · 24/01/2024 12:20

I’m a Katherine and always use 3 syllables, but there are still different ways of pronouncing that:

Kath-er-in

And faith a Cumbrian accent (GPs) Kath-er-een

HeartStarRose · 24/01/2024 12:07

Katherine - Kath-er-ine (a definite three syllables)

For Kath-rin sound, I'd expect it to be spelt Kathryn. Definitely no "e" to make a third syllable.

RuthW · 24/01/2024 12:03

Both cath- rin

VoleChomper · 24/01/2024 12:00

I pronounce it kath-rinn / kath-run or something that lands between those two.

In Glasgow you can hear it pronounced kath-reen

Pemba · 24/01/2024 11:59

eleanorwish · 23/01/2024 23:31

I come from a town in the north west and we say Kath-ryn, except we have a Katherine St, and all the locals pronounce it Kath-rine, no idea why.

Yes, there is a Catherine Street in Leicester as well, pronounced cath-ryne (rhymes with wine). With your example as well, I think this shows that is how the name used to be pronounced in the past?

This is echoed in the way Maria and Sophia used to be said as Ma-rye-a and Soph-eye-a in the UK. Also someone said on here once that Georgina used to be traditionally George-eye-na in Scotland.

This type of pronunciation only seems to be continued with the name Caroline.

CatamaranViper · 24/01/2024 11:54

I call my sister Kat-ha-rine to annoy her but usually it's kath-rin

RowanMayfair · 24/01/2024 11:54

Outthedoor24 · 24/01/2024 11:40

@RowanMayfair
It's maybe an accent thing but to me their is a difference between the Catherine and Cathryn ends but maybe not the middle.

Catherine sounds like Rhine
Kathryn sounds like something like tin or gin.

Ummm Catherine has never ever been pronounced cather-Rhine
Is that how people pronounce it where you are from? Confused

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