Girl · Greek, through Irish
Kathleen
Say it: kath-LEEN
Meaning
An English form of Irish Caitlín, from Old French Cateline (Katherine). Katherine's origin is unknown; its link to Greek katharos 'pure' is a later folk association.
Disputedsharp disagreement, or a popular meaning that is not supported.
Popular with Irish Americans, it was common in the US from the 1940s to the 1960s.
Its wave through time
Fading since the 1940s
In the United States
- 714,162 babies given this name since 1880
- At its height in 1949, about 1 in 65 girls
- 249 babies in 2020
Through the ages
Used by
The family of the name
Other spellings: Cathleen, Kathlene
| Irish | Caitlín |
|---|
Famous bearers
- Kathleen Kennedy, US film producer
Names worth a look
Where this comes from
- National census records of the 19th and 20th centuries
- United States Social Security birth records, 1880 to today source
- United States Social Security birth records, 1880 to today source
Meanings and histories are compiled from the study of names and their languages and checked by a second review.
Meanings and histories are drawn from the study of names and their languages, each with a confidence rating; popularity figures come from official birth records. Name histories are a living field: if you know of a correction, we would be glad to hear it.