Cathaleen
A feminine Irish name derived from Cathleen, meaning "pure."
Name Census estimates that about 194 living Americans carry the first name Cathaleen. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Cathaleen today is around 68 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Cathaleen births was 1951 (19 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Cathaleen. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Cathaleen is about 68 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Cathaleens were born before 1968.
People living today
194
~ 1 in 1,766,775 Americans
Peak year
1951
19 babies that year
Average age
68
years old
1980 SSA rank
#10,607
Tracked since 1917
Popularity
Cathaleen: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Cathaleen from the 1910s through to the 1980s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1950s, with 140 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1950s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Cathaleen by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Cathaleen during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Cathaleen
The name Cathaleen is a variant of the Irish feminine name Caitlín, which is derived from the ancient Irish Gaelic name Cáit. Cáit is a pet form of the Old Irish name Cathán, which means "little battle" or "little fighter".
The name Cáit first appeared in Irish texts as early as the 8th century AD. It was a popular name among Irish families, particularly those with ties to the ancient Celtic warrior culture. The spelling Cathaleen emerged as an anglicized version of the name during the medieval period.
One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name Cathaleen was Cathaleen Ní Houlihan, a mythical figure in Irish folklore who personified Ireland itself. She appeared in stories and plays as an old woman seeking aid from young men, representing Ireland's need for support and rebellion against English rule.
In the 16th century, Cathaleen Butler (1551-1632) was an Irish noblewoman and landowner who played a significant role in the Munster Plantation, a scheme to resettle English and Scottish Protestant settlers in the province of Munster, Ireland.
During the Irish Rebellion of 1641, Cathaleen Kavanagh (1590-1661) was a prominent supporter of the Irish Confederate Catholics. She provided funds and supplies to the rebel forces and was eventually imprisoned for her involvement.
In the 18th century, Cathaleen Mulholland (1728-1805) was an Irish weaver and silk designer who became renowned for her intricate and beautiful textile patterns. Her work was highly sought after by the aristocracy and wealthy merchants of the time.
Cathaleen Ní Houlihan (1857-1942) was an Irish language teacher and activist who played a crucial role in the Gaelic Revival movement, which aimed to preserve and promote the Irish language and culture. She was also a member of the Gaelic League, a prominent Irish cultural organization.
While the name Cathaleen has its roots in ancient Irish history and folklore, it has retained its cultural significance and continues to be used as a beloved Irish feminine name to this day.
People
Cathaleen + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Cathaleen as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with C
Other first names starting with C with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Cathaleen: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Cathaleen?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 194 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Cathaleen going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,766,775 US residents.
Is Cathaleen a common name?
We classify Cathaleen as "Very Rare". It ranks above 73.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 323 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Cathaleen most popular?
The single biggest year for Cathaleen was 1951, when 19 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Cathaleen is about 68 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Cathaleen a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Cathaleen in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.