In English, this name, which is derived from Greek may be spelled Catherine, Katherine, Katharine, or Kathryn. Variants from other languages include Catalina (Spanish), Ekaterina (Russian), and Katrina (German).

Among the women known to history as Queen Catherine are:

• Catherine of Alexandria (or Saint Catherine) (c. 270s - c. 307), queen regnant of Egypt: daughter of Queen Sabinella of Egypt and King Costis of Egypt , son of Constantius Chlorus
• Katherine Plantagenet (or Catalina de Lancaster) (1372 - 1418), queen consort of Castile and Leon (Spain): daughter of John of Gaunt; sister of Henry IV of England; wife of Henry III of Castile; mother of John II of Castile
• Catherine of Valois (1401 - 1437), queen consort of England: daughter of Charles VI of France; wife of Henry V of England and Owen Tudor; mother of Henry VI of England
• Catherine of Bosnia (or Katarina Kosaca) (1420s - 1478), queen consort of Bosnia: daughter of Stephen Vukcic Kosaca ; wife of Stephen Thomas of Bosnia
• Catherine of Aragon (1485 - 1536), queen consort of England: daughter of Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile; 1st wife of Henry VIII of England; mother of Mary I of England
• Katherine Parr (1512 - 1548), queen consort of England: daughter of Sir Thomas Parr; 6th wife of Henry VIII of England
• Catherine de Médicis (1519 - 1589), queen consort and regent of France: daughter of Lorenzo de' Medici; wife of Henry II of France; mother of Francis II of France and Charles IX of France and Henry III of France
• Catherine Howard (1525 - 1542), queen consort of England: grand-daughter of Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk; daughter of Lord Edmund Howard ; 5th wife of Henry VIII of England
• Catharine of Braganza (1638 - 1705), queen consort of England: daughter of John IV of Portugal; wife of Charles II of England
• Catherine I of Russia (or Yekatarina I) (1684 - 1730), empress, consort and then regnant , of Russia: wife of Peter I of Russia
• Catherine II of Russia (Yekatarina II or Catherine the Great) (1729 - 1796), empress, consort and then regnant, of Russia: daughter of Christian Augustus , Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst; wife of Peter III of Russia