The name Katya is a diminutive form of the Russian name Ekaterina, which is derived from the Greek name Aikaterine. Aikaterine is a combination of two Greek words: "katharos" meaning "pure" and "hekateros" meaning "each of the two." The name was borne by a 4th-century saint who was martyred in Alexandria during the reign of Emperor Maximinus.

Ekaterina was first introduced to Russia in the 10th century after the Christianization of the Kievan Rus. It became a popular name among the Russian nobility and royalty, with several Russian Empresses bearing the name, including Catherine I (1684-1727) and Catherine II, also known as Catherine the Great (1729-1796).

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Katya is found in the 12th-century Russian epic poem "The Lay of Igor's Campaign." In the poem, Katya is mentioned as the wife of a warrior named Igor Svyatoslavich.

Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Katya. One of the most famous is Katya Lycheva (1925-1942), a young Soviet partisan who was executed by German forces during World War II for her resistance activities. Her bravery and sacrifice have been celebrated in numerous works of literature and film.

Another notable Katya is Katya Kabanova (1853-1933), a Russian opera singer who performed with the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. She was particularly renowned for her roles in operas by Tchaikovsky and Mussorgsky.

In the field of literature, Katya Treu (1913-1997) was a German-born writer who authored several novels and short stories exploring themes of identity, displacement, and the aftermath of World War II.

Katya Linden (1965-), an American artist and sculptor, is known for her large-scale installations that explore the relationship between humans and the natural world.

Finally, Katya Zamolodchikova (born 1982) is a Russian-American drag queen and television personality who gained fame on the seventh season of the reality competition series "RuPaul's Drag Race."