Caitlyn
Meaning
variant of Caitlin/Catherine, traditionally "pure"
Caitlyn around the world
One shared root links 26 names across 8 languages.
Shared root: from Greek Aikaterine, linked since early Christian times to katharos "pure", though the name's true origin predates that folk etymology
The constellation
18 more branches of this family
Popularity, 1890–2024
Shape drawn from US Social Security baby-name records. Caitlyn peaked in the 2000s.
See popularity in Brazil
Popularity in Brazil
22 people · the #116,443 first name in Brazil · median age 4
Source: IBGE, Censo Demográfico 2022
How the spellings raced
Across these spellings, Kaitlyn led in the group’s busiest decade, the 1990s. So far in the 2020s, Kaitlyn leads.
Decade totals from US Social Security birth registrations. Every line uses the same scale. The 2020s covers 2020–2025.
When you meet Caitlyn
Most people given the name Caitlyn in the United States were born between 1990 and 2009. The Caitlyn you meet today is most often in her 20s or 30s.
Estimated from US Social Security birth registrations and typical lifespans; a rough guide, not a rule.
The Caitlyn deep dive
Whether you’re naming a baby or exploring your own name’s history, this is a personal letter, not a list: where Caitlyn truly comes from, how it traveled, and what a century of records reveals. If you have grown a tree on nametree, it also considers how Caitlyn fits with your family’s names and surname.
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