Kaitlyn
Respellings of the Irish Caitlín, a diminutive of Katherine, reanalysed in America as Kate plus the -lyn ending.
Popularity, 1880–2025
Kaitlyn first shows up in the national records in 1971. It has ranked among the top 100 names for American girls in every year from 1989 to 2011. Its biggest year was 2000, when 8,759 newborn girls received the name, ranking it No. 30 nationally. In 2025 it ranked No. 799 for girls. All told, 166,921 Americans have been given the name since 1880.
Related names
Other spellings on record: Katelyn (134,206), Caitlin (112,426), 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 Kaitlyn interactively →By the decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 76 | No. 2931 |
| 1980s | 10,890 | No. 95 |
| 1990s | 67,567 | No. 33 |
| 2000s | 66,909 | No. 30 |
| 2010s | 18,357 | No. 89 |
| 2020s | 2,890 | No. 488 |
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.