Caitlin
Respellings of the Irish Caitlín, a diminutive of Katherine, reanalysed in America as Kate plus the -lyn ending.
Popularity, 1880–2025
Caitlin first shows up in the national records in 1955. It has ranked among the top 100 names for American girls in every year from 1985 to 2001. Its biggest year was 1988, when 7,246 newborn girls received the name, ranking it No. 44 nationally. All told, 112,426 Americans have been given the name since 1880.
Related names
Other spellings on record: Kaitlyn (166,921), Katelyn (134,206), Kaitlin (57,430), Caitlyn (52,637), Katelynn (30,691), Katlyn (18,438) (total births since 1880)
Other names that share a story: Katherine, Kate
Explore Caitlin interactively →By the decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 46 | No. 3309 |
| 1960s | 410 | No. 1153 |
| 1970s | 1,277 | No. 677 |
| 1980s | 33,584 | No. 44 |
| 1990s | 49,033 | No. 50 |
| 2000s | 22,298 | No. 76 |
| 2010s | 4,935 | No. 339 |
| 2020s | 560 | No. 1681 |
Births and rank shown for girls, the sex more often given the name. The Social Security Administration omits name–year combinations with fewer than five births.
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Data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby-name file, 1880–2025.