Kathleen
Kathleen is a girl's name of Irish origin.
Meaning
Pure.
Origin and history
Kathleen is an Anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic name Caitlín, which itself derives from Katherine. Historically rooted in the Greek name Aikaterine, it is traditionally understood to mean 'pure'. It was immensely popular in the mid-20th century in the United States and remains a classic traditional choice today.
Popularity in the United States
713,645 babies in the United States have been named Kathleen since 1880. It ranks #34 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #995.
States where it is most popular
- NY (13 %)
- PA (8.9 %)
- CA (8.6 %)
- IL (6.9 %)
- OH (5.7 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 389 |
| 1890-1900 | 1,942 |
| 1900-1910 | 3,924 |
| 1910-1920 | 16,592 |
| 1920-1930 | 33,597 |
| 1930-1940 | 34,550 |
| 1940-1950 | 152,981 |
| 1950-1960 | 224,342 |
| 1960-1970 | 120,952 |
| 1970-1980 | 44,847 |
| 1980-1990 | 39,394 |
| 1990-2000 | 24,846 |
| 2000-2010 | 10,065 |
| 2010-2019 | 3,809 |
| 2020-2029 | 1,415 |
Famous people named Kathleen
- Kathleen Turner: Actress
- Kathleen Kennedy: Film Producer
- Kathleen Hanna: Musician, Singer
Nicknames
Kathy, Kath, Katie, Kate
Fun facts
- Kathleen arose as an English phonetic spelling of Caitlín, the Irish Gaelic form of Katherine.
- It ranked among the top 20 most popular girls' names in the United States from the 1940s through the early 1950s.