Kathleen
Meaning & Origin
Meaning: Pure; Clear
Background: The name Kathleen originates from the Irish name 'Caitlín,' which is a diminutive form of 'Catherine.' This term derives from the Latin 'catharina,' which in turn comes from the Greek 'katharos,' meaning 'pure' or 'clear.'
At a glance
Quick stats based on the history of this name.
Lifetime rank
#34
Total births
715,129
Most popular decade
1950s
(674,205 births)
10-year trend
↓ Falling (-433 ranks)
Years in Top 100
72
First recorded year
1880
Gender usage
0.2% male
99.8% female
Stats by gender
Male
- First year
- 1915
- First year births
- 6
- First year rank
- #3,392
- Peak year
- 1949
- Peak year births
- 56
- Peak rank
- #923
- Most recent year
- 1991
- Recent year births
- 5
- Recent rank
- #8,237
Female
- First year
- 1880
- First year births
- 21
- First year rank
- #352
- Peak year
- 1951
- Peak year births
- 26,716
- Peak rank
- #10
- Most recent year
- 2024
- Recent year births
- 220
- Recent rank
- #1,107
Births over time
Number of babies given this name each year.
Rank over time
Popularity rank by year (1 = most popular).