Caitlyn
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 Caitlyn
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 Caitlyn
Caitlyn first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1968, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1998, when 2,937 Caitlyns were born — ranking #115 that year. As of 2026, Caitlyn ranks #2,400 for baby girls with 75 births, falling sharply (-48%). In total, more than 53K Caitlyns have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1960s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Caitlyn
Phonetically similar names — useful when Caitlyn 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 Caitlyn
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About the name Caitlyn
Caitlyn is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1968 and has accumulated 53K births in the dataset. Caitlyn's peak popularity came in 1998 when it ranked #115. Use the chart and map above to compare Caitlyn's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1998 →
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- 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.