The name Kateri originates from the Mohawk language, spoken by the Mohawk people, one of the Six Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy. It is derived from the Mohawk word "Kateri," which means "pure one."

The name gained significant recognition due to its association with Kateri Tekakwitha, a 17th-century Mohawk woman who converted to Catholicism and is now venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church. Kateri Tekakwitha was born in 1656 in what is now New York and died in 1680 in Canada.

In the early days of European colonization in North America, the name Kateri was likely used primarily by Indigenous communities, particularly the Mohawk people. As Catholic missionaries spread their influence, the name gained popularity among Native American converts to Christianity.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kateri can be found in the writings of Jesuit missionaries who worked among the Mohawk people in the 17th century. These accounts document Kateri Tekakwitha's life and her commitment to her faith.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Kateri. In addition to Kateri Tekakwitha, who was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012, other famous Kateris include Kateri Cullen, a Salish-Kootenai author and educator born in 1964, and Kateri Dayrise, a Mohawk actress and playwright born in 1982.

The name Kateri has also been used by several Indigenous artists and writers, such as Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm, an Anishinaabe writer and editor born in 1965, and Kateri Menife, a Mohawk artist and activist born in 1986.

While the name Kateri originated within the Mohawk culture, it has gained recognition and popularity beyond its indigenous roots, particularly among those with an appreciation for its historical and cultural significance.