Where does the name Kathleen come from?

Kathleen is a girl name of Irish origin.

Is Kathleen a boy or a girl name?

Kathleen is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 100% of children given the name Kathleen are girls and 0% are boys.

How popular is the name Kathleen in 2023?

Kathleen ranks #1023 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1951 with 26,749 babies.

How do you pronounce Kathleen?

Kathleen is pronounced KATH-leen (2 syllables).

What are common spellings of Kathleen?

Kathleen is also written as Cathleen, Kathlene, Caitlin.

A name from Irish · Girl

Kathleen

Anglicized form of Irish Caitlín, itself from French Cateline (a medieval form of Katherine), ultimately from Greek Aikaterinē — traditionally linked to katharos ('pure'). Strongly associated with Irish-American heritage.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 143-year arc in numbers.

713,221 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023.

Popularity · 1880–2023

248 births in 2023

1880 1951 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

KAnglicized form of Irish Caitlín, itself from French Cateline (a medieval form of Katherine), ultimately from Greek Aikaterinē — traditionally linked to katharos ('pure'). Strongly associated with Irish-American heritage.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Kathleen".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Cathleen Most common Kathlene Caitlin

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Kathleen.

K
Kathleen Turner (actress)
K
Kathleen Battle (soprano)
K
Kathleen Sebelius (politician)

Quick answers

People often ask about Kathleen.

What does the name Kathleen mean?: Kathleen means anglicized form of Irish Caitlín, itself from French Cateline (a medieval form of Katherine), ultimately from Greek Aikaterinē — traditionally linked to katharos ('pure'). Strongly associated with Irish-American heritage.
Where does the name Kathleen come from?: Kathleen is a girl name of Irish origin.
Is Kathleen a boy or a girl name?: Kathleen is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 100% of children given the name Kathleen are girls and 0% are boys.
How popular is the name Kathleen in 2023?: Kathleen ranks #1023 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1951 with 26,749 babies.
How do you pronounce Kathleen?: Kathleen is pronounced KATH-leen (2 syllables).
What are common spellings of Kathleen?: Kathleen is also written as Cathleen, Kathlene, Caitlin.

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.