Cathlene
A feminine name derived from the Greek name "Aikaterine", meaning "pure one".
Name Census estimates that about 635 living Americans carry the first name Cathlene. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Cathlene today is around 60 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Cathlene births was 1957 (37 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Cathlene. 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.
People living today
635
~ 1 in 539,771 Americans
Peak year
1957
37 babies that year
Average age
60
years old
2004 SSA rank
#16,595
Tracked since 1929
Popularity
Cathlene: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Cathlene from the 1920s through to the 2000s, spanning 9 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1950s, with 270 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
Cathlene 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 Cathlene during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Cathlenes live
Origin
Meaning and history of Cathlene
Cathlene is a feminine given name of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic name Caitlín, which means "pure" or "unmarried girl." The name Caitlín itself is a diminutive form of the Old Irish name Cáit, which is a pet form of the name Cathan.
The earliest recorded use of the name Cathlene can be traced back to the 16th century in Ireland. It was particularly popular among Irish families, especially those with strong cultural and linguistic ties to the Gaelic tradition. The name's association with purity and innocence made it a favored choice for newborn daughters.
One of the earliest known historical references to the name Cathlene can be found in the Irish Annals, which were chronicles written by medieval Irish monks. These annals documented important events, births, deaths, and other significant occurrences in Ireland during that time period.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Cathlene. One of the earliest recorded was Cathlene Ní Dhúill, an Irish noblewoman who lived in the late 16th century and was known for her patronage of Gaelic poets and scholars. Another notable Cathlene was Cathlene Ní Chionaoith, an Irish harpist and composer who lived in the 17th century and was renowned for her skill in traditional Irish music.
In the 18th century, Cathlene Ní Uallacháin was a prominent Irish poet and storyteller who helped preserve and promote the rich oral traditions of her culture. Cathlene Ní Bhraonáin, born in 1802, was an Irish language scholar and teacher who played a crucial role in the preservation of the Irish language during a time of significant cultural upheaval.
More recently, Cathlene McGuire (1903-1991) was an Irish-American writer and activist who advocated for women's rights and social justice issues. She was a prominent figure in the feminist movement of the mid-20th century and authored several influential works on gender equality and empowerment.
People
Cathlene + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Cathlene 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
Cathlene: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Cathlene?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 635 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Cathlene 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 539,771 US residents.
Is Cathlene a common name?
We classify Cathlene as "Very Rare". It ranks above 86.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 829 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Cathlene most popular?
The single biggest year for Cathlene was 1957, when 37 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Cathlene is about 60 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Cathlene a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Cathlene 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.