In a restricted sense 'Roman Catholic' would mean a Catholic of the city or diocese of Rome.

The use of the term in English as applying to all Catholics in communion with the Pope, the Bishop of Rome, is of late origin, Roman Catholic is a term of 19th Century British coinage, Roman corresponding to 'Anglican'. But Roman should on no account be applied to the Catholic Church in the sense in which Anglican is historically used as implying the church of England since the Catholic Church is not a church identified with a particular nation, with its king or queen as the head of the Church, as the Anglican Church is. The pope, the head of the Catholic Church could, on the contrary, be a person of any nationality, which is evidence of its catholicity.

The traditional and more correct name for Christians in communion with Rome is 'Catholic' not 'Roman Catholic'. With the reformation these arose other Churches which also regarded themselves as 'Catholic' or forming part of the universal Church of all Christians, and it became necessary for these Churches to be distinguished from the traditional Catholic Church, which they therefore began to call 'Roman Church' or 'Roman Catholic Church'.

The term 'Catholic' meant, according to the explanation of St. Cyril of Jerusalem (c.315-386), that the Church extended to all parts of the world, taught all doctrines that people needed to know for their salvation, and had a mission to the whole human race. The mission entrusted by Christ to his disciples was "Make disciples of all the nations" (Mathew 28:19). In the words of St. Paul, the Church opened its arms to all without any distinction. "There are no more distinctions between Jew and Greek, slave and free, male and female, but all of you are one in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3:28. Also Col 3:11).

The term Catholic has remained with the Church from very early times. St. Ignatius of Antioch, of the early second century, used the term to mean the whole Church in contrast to local Churches. When the break away of Eastern Churches tool place in the eleventh century, they called themselves 'Orthodox' Churches, while the Western Church with Rome as its centre, continue to be called the 'Catholic Church'.

The reform movement, which commenced in the sixteenth century, led to the emergence of other Churches, some of which took the name of the country of origin, like the Church of England or Anglican Church and others were named after the founder, such as the Lutheran Church. The Church which had the Pope as it head continued to be called the Catholic Church, though the terns Roman Church or Roman Catholic Church also came to be used, mainly outside the Church.

The traditional name 'Catholic' is the more appropriate term for Christians in communion with the see of Rome, reverently called the Holy See. 'Roman Catholic'. On the other hand in its origin and early use, had the semblance of a nick name.