Caitlan
Caitlin 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 KAYT-lin, which led to many variations in spelling such as Caitlin, Ceitlin, Catelynn, Caitlyn, Katlyn, Kaitlin, Kaitlyn, Kaitlyne, Katelyn and Katelynn.
Meaning & Origin of Caitlan
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Caitlin 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 KAYT-lin, which led to many variations in spelling such as Caitlin, Ceitlin, Catelynn, Caitlyn, Katlyn, Kaitlin, Kaitlyn, Kaitlyne, Katelyn and Katelynn.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Caitlan
Caitlan first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1983, with 13 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1990, when 88 Caitlans were born — ranking #1,670 that year. As of 2026, Caitlan ranks #16,866 for baby girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 1K Caitlans have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Caitlan
Phonetically similar names — useful when Caitlan is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Caitlan
What does the name Caitlan mean?
How popular is Caitlan in 2026?
When was Caitlan most popular?
In which U.S. states is Caitlan most popular?
Is Caitlan a unisex name?
What names go well with Caitlan?
About the name Caitlan
Caitlan is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1983 and has accumulated 1K births in the dataset. Caitlan's peak popularity came in 1990 when it ranked #1,670. Use the chart and map above to compare Caitlan's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1990 →
- Names of the 1990s →
- Names starting with "C" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.