katniss

Katniss is a given name best known from Katniss Everdeen, the protagonist of Suzanne Collins's Hunger Games trilogy. The name is derived from the katniss plant, a wetland species whose presence in the books echoes the heroine's resilience and survival skills. In botany, katniss refers to the Sagittaria plant, a genus of wetland flowering plants. In the series, Katniss serves as a symbolic figure of resistance against an oppressive regime.

Set in the fictional nation of Panem, Katniss Everdeen is a teenager from District 12 who volunteers to take her sister Prim's place in the annual Hunger Games. A skilled hunter and bow user, she navigates the games with pragmatism and sometimes moral ambiguity, forming alliances with fellow tribute Peeta Mellark and others, while challenging the Capitol's control. Her actions contribute to a wider rebellion, and she becomes a public symbol of defiance, known as the Mockingjay, though she seeks personal autonomy amid the conflict.

The character is portrayed by Jennifer Lawrence in film adaptations released from 2012 to 2015. The portrayal helped catapult Lawrence to international prominence and contributed to discussions about female agency, leadership, and trauma in contemporary popular culture. The Hunger Games series achieved substantial commercial success and left a lasting imprint on young-adult media and action-adventure storytelling.