Kathleen is a girl name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Kathleen means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Kathleen across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Kathleen has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Kathleen is a girl name of Greek origin meaning “pure”. an Irish form related to Katherine.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 715,336 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 1,978 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 2,046 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 196 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 6,266 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 2,503 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Kathleen per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1951 (26,749/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1965 (319/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 1996 (179/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1974 (143/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 1997 (20/yr).
Kathleen has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1951, when it ranked #25 nationally (given to 26,749 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1950s.
Cathleen · Kathaleen · Kathlene · Kathlyn · Kathleene · Katheleen · Cathlene · Kathyleen
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