Given name
Kaitlyn
“one who is pure; virginal”
Kaitlyn is a variant of Katherine. In Greek use, Katherine carries the interpretation “one who is pure; virginal.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Kaitlyn is a variant of Katherine. In Greek use, Katherine carries the interpretation “one who is pure; virginal.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In English use, Kaitlyn has a related form in Caitlín. An origin associated with Caitlín is Old French.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1971. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Kaitlyn is a variant of Katherine. The history of Katherine gives this family its wider story. Katherine’s historical associations include Catherine de’ Medici, wife of King Henry II and regent.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Kaitlyn through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 166,921
- 232 boys · 166,689 girls
- Most popular year
- 2000
- 8,771 babies
- 2025
- 340
- #802 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −44%
- Cooling
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 340 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 802 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 44.3% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 8,759 in 2000. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (38). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 148,542 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Kaitlyn’s family of names
In English usage, Kaitlyn has a diminutive in KAIT. Kaitlyn has a related form in Katherine. In English usage, Kaitlyn has a related form in Caitlin.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 7
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 6
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Kaitlyn
- Kaitlyn DeverAmerican actress (born 1996)
- Kaitlyn MaherAmerican actressborn 2004
- Kaitlyn LawesCanadian curlerborn 1988
- Kaitlyn FarringtonAmerican snowboarder and gold medalistborn 1989
- Kaitlyn WeaverAmerican-Canadian ice dancerborn 1989
- Kaitlyn ChristianUS female tennis playerborn 1992
- AmouranthAmerican live streamer and businesswoman (born 1993)
- Kaitlyn BlackAmerican actressborn 1983
- Kaitlyn Santa Juanaactressborn 1996
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Kaitlyn, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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