Caitlin (Irish pronunciation:[ˈkatʲlʲiːnʲ]) is a feminine given name of Irish origin. Historically, the Irish name Caitlín was anglicized as Cathleen or Kathleen. In the 1970s, however, non-Irish speakers began pronouncing the name according to English spelling rules as /ˈkeɪtlɪn/KAYT-lin, which led to many variations in spelling such as Caitlin, Ceitlin, Catelynn, Caitlyn, Katlyn, Kaitlin, Kaitlyn, Katelyn and Katelynn.[1][2][3]
It is the Irish version of the Old French name Cateline[katlin], which comes from Catherine, which in turn comes from the Ancient Greek Αἰκατερίνη (Aikaterine). Catherine is attributed to St. Catherine of Alexandria.[4] Along with the many other variants of Catherine, it is generally believed to mean "pure" because of its long association with the Greek adjective καθαρός katharos (pure), though the name did not evolve from this word.[5]
Usage
Caitlin has been a well-used name throughout the Anglosphere. In the United States, where spelling variations were more widely used, the name Caitlin peaked in use in 1988, when it was the 44th most popular name for American girls. The name was among the 1,000 most popular names for girls in the United States between 1976 and 2015.[6] All variations of the name Caitlin declined in use in the United States in 2016, the year after the new name and gender of Caitlyn Jenner were revealed.[7] The name Caitlin increased in popularity for American girls in 2023 and 2024 due to the popularity of WNBA player Caitlin Clark.[8]
Notable people
Literature
Caitlin Brennan, pseudonym of Judith Tarr, American fantasy writer
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