Caitlin
A female given name from Irish Caitlín, equivalent to English Catherine.
Every Caitlin since 1955 — 112,426 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Caitlin
Caitlin is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #2,333 in 2025 with 78 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1955, 112,426 American babies have been named Caitlin. Its peak came in 1988, when 7,274 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1980s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Caitlin stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Caitlin year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 78 | #2,333 | — | — |
| 2024 | 121 | #1,684 | — | — |
| 2023 | 80 | #2,290 | — | — |
| 2022 | 86 | #2,194 | — | — |
| 2021 | 85 | #2,190 | — | — |
| 2020 | 110 | #1,794 | — | — |
| 2019 | 142 | #1,524 | — | — |
| 2018 | 166 | #1,360 | — | — |
| 2017 | 161 | #1,418 | — | — |
| 2016 | 218 | #1,152 | — | — |
| 2015 | 477 | #610 | — | — |
| 2014 | 628 | #496 | — | — |
| 2013 | 654 | #468 | — | — |
| 2012 | 741 | #424 | — | — |
| 2011 | 803 | #393 | — | — |
| 2010 | 945 | #339 | — | — |
| 2009 | 1,216 | #267 | — | — |
| 2008 | 1,459 | #235 | — | — |
| 2007 | 1,530 | #230 | — | — |
| 2006 | 1,653 | #209 | — | — |
| 2005 | 1,778 | #193 | — | — |
| 2004 | 2,050 | #161 | 12 | #6,195 |
| 2003 | 2,311 | #142 | — | — |
| 2002 | 2,743 | #123 | — | — |
| 2001 | 3,456 | #89 | — | — |
| 2000 | 4,102 | #76 | 5 | #10,589 |
| 1995 | 4,384 | #81 | 13 | #4,547 |
| 1990 | 7,026 | #50 | 20 | #3,071 |
| 1985 | 3,593 | #77 | 14 | #3,238 |
| 1980 | 646 | #365 | — | — |
| 1975 | 94 | #1,220 | — | — |
| 1970 | 100 | #1,155 | — | — |
| 1965 | 34 | #2,000 | — | — |
| 1960 | 15 | #3,224 | — | — |
| 1955 | 5 | #5,929 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Caitlin
- Caitlin Stasey Actor · b. 1990
- Caitlin FitzGerald Actor · b. 1983
- Caitlin Moran Writer · b. 1975
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Caitlin mean?
A female given name from Irish Caitlín, equivalent to English Catherine.
How popular is the name Caitlin in 2025?
Caitlin ranked #2,333 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 78 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Caitlin?
112,426 babies have been named Caitlin in the United States since 1955, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Caitlin most popular?
Caitlin peaked in 1988, when 7,274 newborns received the name.
Is Caitlin a boy or girl name?
Caitlin is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Caitlin rising or falling?
Caitlin is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Caitlin?
Well-known people named Caitlin include Caitlin Stasey (actor), Caitlin FitzGerald (actor), Caitlin Moran (writer).