Declining since 1994.
Popularity of Katlin since 1981
Babies named Katlin per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1980s | 911 |
| 1990s | 3,310 |
| 2000s | 1,014 |
| 2010s | 100 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Katlin entered the U.S. naming landscape in 1981, a late arrival in the wave of phonetic variants of the classic Irish name Caitlin. Its peak year, 1993, saw the highest number of baby girls named Katlin, but it quickly fell out of fashion starting in 1994. Unlike the more enduring Caitlin and Kaitlyn, Katlin never cracked the top 1000 national rankings and has become increasingly rare in the 21st century. The spelling reflects the broader late-20th-century trend of simplifying traditional names by removing silent letters and using 'K' for a modern feel. While it never achieved wide geographic spread, it remains a clear example of how phonological spelling reshapes family naming traditions.
Katlin is a modern English respelling of Caitlin, the Irish form of Catherine. Catherine derives from the Greek Aikaterine, whose meaning is debated but traditionally associated with katharos, meaning 'pure'. This spelling emerged in the late 20th century as part of a trend of phonetic spellings for Caitlin.
Where Katlin is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Kat, Katie, Katy, Lin
Sibling names for Katlin
Names that share Katlin's style, for a brother or sister.
