Pronouncing Katherine

[YogiYogiBear]

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.

3 syllables for Katherine, 2 syllables for Kathryn. Pick the spelling that matches how you'd like it pronounced.

I think you want Kathryn.

Lovely name

Catherine is easy.

It's Caroline and Carolyn you don't want to confuse! I know several of each and always get reminded if I say the wrong one.

Caroline (carro-line)
Carolyn (carro-lin)

😱

Surely this is a regional/accent question and not a spelling one? I'm Catherine and never had anyone pronounce the 'er' separately. RP English accents give it more of a nod whereas the local south east accent is more 'Caffrin' but it's never Cath-er-ine.

@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.

I'd say all spellings of Catherine/Katherine/Kathryn the same. All 2 syllables.

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

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

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.

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

In Glasgow you can hear it pronounced kath-reen

Both cath- rin

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

This ^

You and Anne Shirley.

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

Kath-ur-in.

@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

Kath-er-in

@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....

Caff

😆

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

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.