Caitlyn - A very unique female name
Caitlyn at a glance
Caitlyn is ranked #2806 among girl baby names in 2025, with 22 births in 2025. It peaked in 1998 at #115 and first appeared on the charts in 1980.
- Rank in 2025
- #2806
- Births in 2025
- 22
- Peak year
- 1998 (#115)
- First appeared
- 1980
- Trend
- #1669 in 2020 → #2806 in 2025 (Falling)
- Popularity
- 1 in 59,249 girls
- Visitor rating
- 3.7/5 (3 recent votes)
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration · Data through 2025 · Updated 2026
With that position 1 in 59,249 baby girls were given this name - making this a very unique female name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Caitlyn peaked in popularity 28 years ago in 1998 on position 115.
Famous with this name
Caitlyn Jenner
Caitlyn Birdsong
Caitlyn Sponheimer
How would you rate Caitlyn, 1-5?
Caitlyn is currently topping the charts in...
Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Caitlyn is currently topping the baby name charts in Texas at position #1,936 - and is the least popular in California at position #3,192.Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Caitlyn is where you live.
Comment and discuss
Caitlyn origin and meaning
Irish, via Greek — modern spelling
A modern spelling of Caitlin, the Irish form of Katherine; Katherine's own Greek root Aikaterine is disputed, later associated with katharos, 'pure'
Caitlyn is the American -lyn respelling of Irish Caitlín, part of the large Katherine family. This spelling first appears in 1980 and peaked in 1998, riding the wider Kaitlyn wave. It has fallen sharply since, and its most famous bearer adopted the name as an adult.
Origin uncertain
Caitlyn is a 7 letter name with 2 syllables.
To see famous people named Caitlyn, pop culture references for the name Caitlyn and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.Similar to Caitlyn
We've found the following names that sound similar to Caitlyn, sorted by popularity.
Caitlin / Catalina / Cathleen / Caitlynn / Catelyn / Caitlan / Catlin / Chastelyn / Catelynn / Cathlene /Name statistics
Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better
understanding of how popular or unique this name is.
With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually
differ a lot from state to state.
Chart position per year (visualized)
Chart position per state (visualized)
Chart position per year (table view)
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 2806 |
| 2024 | 2782 |
| 2023 | 1995 |
| 2022 | 1755 |
| 2021 | 1681 |
| 2020 | 1669 |
| 2019 | 1210 |
| 2018 | 1199 |
| 2017 | 1056 |
| 2016 | 1051 |
| 2015 | 599 |
| 2014 | 460 |
| 2013 | 408 |
| 2012 | 377 |
| 2011 | 347 |
| 2010 | 305 |
| 2009 | 256 |
| 2008 | 228 |
| 2007 | 212 |
| 2006 | 200 |
| 2005 | 181 |
| 2004 | 162 |
| 2003 | 160 |
| 2002 | 146 |
| 2001 | 133 |
| 2000 | 117 |
| 1999 | 124 |
| 1998 | 115 |
| 1997 | 133 |
| 1996 | 137 |
| 1995 | 137 |
| 1994 | 148 |
| 1993 | 153 |
| 1992 | 155 |
| 1991 | 184 |
| 1990 | 182 |
| 1989 | 220 |
| 1988 | 220 |
| 1987 | 386 |
| 1986 | 423 |
| 1985 | 545 |
| 1984 | 839 |
| 1983 | 899 |
| 1982 | 1230 |
| 1981 | 2375 |
| 1980 | 1817 |
Chart position per state (table view)
| State | Rank |
|---|---|
| Texas | 1936 |
| Florida | 1940 |
| California | 3192 |
Even more about Caitlyn
These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.
Is Caitlyn a common or unique name?
By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique female name.What is the number of syllables for the name Caitlyn?
2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.Pronunciation
KAYT-lin · /ˈkeɪtlɪn/
Around the world
- Caitlín (Irish) — The original Irish form of Katherine.
Spellings and nicknames
- Caitlin — The traditional Irish-derived spelling.
- Kaitlyn — The most common American spelling of the name.
- Katelyn — Another widespread spelling.
Famous bearers
- Caitlyn Jenner — American Olympic decathlon champion and media personality, who adopted the name Caitlyn in 2015 (b. 1949) Contemporary
Style
ClassicInternational
Why parents choose it
Once a 1990s staple, Caitlyn now feels like a period name; new parents choosing it are bucking a clear downward trend.
Worth knowing
- One of the most spelling-divided names in America — Caitlin, Kaitlyn, Katelyn and more.
- Its most famous bearer is strongly associated with the name since 2015.
