Caitlin
Say it: KATE-lin/ˈkeɪtlɪn/
GirlIrishMeans a form of Catherine7 letters2 syllables
#247
in Ireland (2025)
#187 with spellings combined
25
babies in 2025
#31
best rank (2003)
2,884
babies since 1967
Down 90
10-year rank change
Caitlin through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 25 | #187 |
| 2024 | 20 | #216 |
| 2023 | 14 | #279 |
| 2022 | 20 | #222 |
| 2021 | 28 | #174 |
| 2020 | 24 | #193 |
| 2019 | 43 | #132 |
| 2018 | 47 | #121 |
| 2017 | 36 | #154 |
| 2016 | 50 | #121 |
| 2015 | 66 | #97 |
| 2014 | 73 | #91 |
| 2013 | 89 | #73 |
| 2012 | 105 | #64 |
| 2011 | 116 | #65 |
| 2010 | 93 | #75 |
| 2009 | 134 | #53 |
| 2008 | 168 | #46 |
| 2007 | 164 | #44 |
| 2006 | 143 | #46 |
| 2005 | 191 | #34 |
| 2004 | 189 | #34 |
| 2003 | 192 | #31 |
| 2002 | 151 | #38 |
| 2001 | 160 | #34 |
| 2000 | 130 | #40 |
| 1999 | 112 | #41 |
| 1998 | 74 | #54 |
| 1997 | 54 | #98 |
| 1996 | 32 | #155 |
| 1995 | 34 | #141 |
| 1994 | 25 | #171 |
| 1993 | 19 | #204 |
| 1992 | 6 | #391 |
| 1991 | 7 | #365 |
| 1990 | 7 | #357 |
| 1989 | 5 | #408 |
| 1987 | 3 | #488 |
| 1986 | 7 | #356 |
| 1985 | 3 | #519 |
| 1984 | 3 | #516 |
| 1983 | 3 | #529 |
| 1980 | 4 | #483 |
| 1979 | 3 | #523 |
| 1977 | 3 | #518 |
| 1976 | 3 | #497 |
| 1975 | 3 | #503 |
| 1967 | 3 | #393 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0. Spellings with and without fadas are combined; the CSO only recorded fadas from 2018.
★ What does Caitlin mean?
A form of Catherine
Irish, from Caitlín, from Old French Cateline with the Irish small ending -ín.
Say it right
KATElin
In Irish, Caitlín is said kat-LEEN in Munster and KAT-leen in Connacht. Most English speakers in Ireland say KATE-lin.
The story of Caitlin
Caitlin comes from the Irish Caitlín. That in turn came from Cateline, an Old French form of Catherine, with the Irish small ending -ín added. For centuries the name was written in English as Cathleen or Kathleen. From the 1970s the spelling Caitlin became common in its own right, and outside Ireland it is usually said KATE-lin, which gave rise to spellings like Kaitlyn and Katelyn.
In Ireland Caitlin first appears in the CSO records in 1967, with 3 girls. It grew fast in the 1990s and peaked in 2003, when 192 girls got the name and it reached number 31. It has fallen back since, and in 2025 it was number 187 once spellings are combined, with 25 babies. The CSO counts Caitlin (17 babies) and Caitlín (8) separately.
The name was even more popular in Northern Ireland, where it reached number 2 in 2002.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Caitlín (Irish proper noun)
- Wiktionary: Caitlin (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Caitlin
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, First Forenames Given to Babies Registered in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Caitlin | 17 | 2,816 |
| Caitlín | 8 | 68 |
In Northern Ireland
#132 in 2025 with 15 babies. Best rank #2 (2002); 2,909 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.