Caitlyn

Meaning & origin

Caitlyn is a modern Irish-derived name that entered the U.S. naming landscape relatively recently, with its first recorded appearance in 1968. It enjoyed a surge in popularity during the 1990s, peaking at rank 73 in 1998, but has since fallen in usage, ranking 2485th in 2025. The name's trajectory reflects broader trends: it rose with the fashion for -lyn endings and has declined as that style has waned. Top states for Caitlyn include Florida, Texas, and California, indicating a widespread but not regionally concentrated appeal. While its meaning 'pure' connects it to the ancient Greek root of Catherine, the Caitlyn spelling is a distinctively 20th-century American innovation.

Caitlyn is an Anglicized spelling of the Irish name Caitlín, which is the Irish form of Catherine. Catherine derives from the Greek name Aikaterinē, with the meaning debated but traditionally associated with the Greek word katharos, meaning 'pure.' The spelling Caitlyn emerged in the mid-20th century as a modern variant of Kaitlyn, influenced by the fashion for names ending in -lyn. It became particularly popular in the United States during the 1990s.