Katherine, Kathryn, and Katharine Pronunciation

So up untill a few months ago (when I met a girl named [name_f]Katherine[/name_f]) I figured the name spelled K-A-T-H-E-R-I-N-E (or C-A-T-H-E-R-I-N-E) was pronounced as: kath-er-inn. I also figured the alternative spelling of K-A-T-H-R-Y-N was pronounced different: Kath-rinn. I was later correct and told both names are pronounced the same: kath-rinn. But, I still hear people say kath-er-inn all the time. Then, there is [name_f]Katharine[/name_f], I would assume is pronounced Kath-ah-rinn.

Basically, how do you pronounce [name_f]Katherine[/name_f], [name_f]Kathryn[/name_f], and [name_f]Katharine[/name_f]?

I say them all Cath rinn

[name_f]Katherine[/name_f]: KATH-er-rin
[name_f]Kathryn[/name_f]: KATH-rin
[name_f]Katharine[/name_f]: KATH-a-rin

I think it is a lot like [name_f]Margaret[/name_f]- lots of people drop the middle syllable, even though it is meant to be there, just because that middle syllable is only just there, with barely any emphasis. I sort of think of the middle syllable like a grace note in music- it’s still there, but only just and isn’t essential to the overall pronunciation, but it should still be there.

[name_f]Katherine[/name_f]: Kath-a-rin
[name_f]Kathryn[/name_f]: Kath-rinn
[name_f]Katharine[/name_f]: Kath-reen

I don’t know how i started pronouncing the last one differently, but i personally like the way it sounds.

I pronounce them all in the same way unless I am told differently!

[name_f]Katherine[/name_f]- kath-uh-rinn
[name_f]Kathryn[/name_f]- kath-rinn
[name_f]Katharine[/name_f]- kath-uh-rinn

I would pronounce them all as Kath-rin. In my accent, unstressed vowels tend to get dropped (e.g. I would pronounce “camera” as cam-ra and [name_f]Barbara[/name_f] the same as Barbra).

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Same here

I pronounce them all “kath-rin”

[name_f]My[/name_f] name is [name_f]Kathryn[/name_f] and I pronounce it as Kath-rinn however my great grandmother was [name_f]Katherine[/name_f] and she pronounced it as Kath-ur-inn - I know some people use them interchangeably though so it really just depends on the person who’s name it is.

[name_f]My[/name_f] name is [name_f]Catherine[/name_f] and I’ve met several Katie’s, Cathy’s, Kates, etc. who are also Katherine/Catherine. I’ve always heard it pronounced cath-rinn. The only exception is my grandmother, who says cath-uh-rinn. I think as others have said it just depends on the person, but the cath-uh-rinn pronunciation seems a bit outdated. I’m definitely the kind of person who says “car-mel” instead of “care-uh-mel” though, so as someone else said we tend to drop the unstressed second syllable.

Essentially, I say KATH-rin for all 3. There may be a bit of difference based on the spelling (kath er rin vs kath rin vs kath ah rin), but realistically, kath rin is what comes out of my mouth. :joy:. [name_u]Love[/name_u] [name_f]Katharine[/name_f] and [name_f]Katherine[/name_f], by the way!