Kaja or Kája is a given name and surname.
Kaja also has several root name derivations. In Polish, it is a feminine given name that is a diminutive form of Karolina, a derivative of Karl .[1] Kája is a Czech unisex given name that is a diminutive form of Karolína, Karla and Karel, also derivatives of Karl.[2] In Slovene, Kaja is often a diminutive form of Kajetana, Karla and Katarina, names deriving from Caietanus (Cajetan), Karl and Aikaterine, respectively.[3] It is also a Danish, Finnish, German, Norwegian and Swedish feminine given name that is a diminutive form of Katherina, Karen and Katrine as well as an alternate form of Kaia, all derived from Aikaterine.[4] In Estonian, Kaja is a form of Katariina,[5] but it also means "echo".[6]
Kaja is one of the variants of the name Katarina, which originally comes from the Greek name Haikaterine of unclear meaning. According to one interpretation, the name is derived from the Greek word hekateros, meaning "each of both". According to another theory, the name has its origin in the Greek word katharos (purity). It is also mentioned as a derivative of the name of the goddess of death and witchcraft Hekate.[7]
Notable people referred to by this name include the following: