Kathalyn
A feminine name of Scottish origin meaning "pure" or "chaste".
Name Census estimates that about 14 living Americans carry the first name Kathalyn. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Kathalyn today is around 77 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kathalyn births was 1945 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kathalyn. 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 Kathalyn is about 77 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Kathalyns were born before 1959.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Kathalyn. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
14
~ 1 in 24,482,453 Americans
Peak year
1945
7 babies that year
Average age
77
years old
1954 SSA rank
#5,435
Tracked since 1916
Popularity
Kathalyn: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kathalyn from the 1910s through to the 1950s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1940s, with 13 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kathalyn 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 Kathalyn 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 Kathalyn
The name Kathalyn is a feminine given name of English origin, derived from the Greek name Katherine, which itself is a combination of the Greek words "katharos" meaning "pure" and "linon" meaning "line" or "cord." The name Katherine was popularized by the early Christian saints and martyrs, and it eventually evolved into various spellings and forms across different cultures and languages.
In its earliest recorded use, the name Kathalyn appeared as a variant spelling of Katherine in 16th century England. It was likely a product of the linguistic shifts and variations that occurred during that period when names were often adapted and modified based on local dialects and regional influences.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Kathalyn was Kathalyn Tew, an English writer and poet who lived in the late 16th century. Her works, though not widely known today, provide a glimpse into the literary circles of Elizabethan England.
In the 17th century, a notable figure named Kathalyn Browne was recorded as a prominent member of the Puritan community in Massachusetts Bay Colony. Her dedication to religious principles and community service left a lasting impact on the early settlement.
During the 18th century, Kathalyn Finch, a British botanist, made significant contributions to the study of plant life in the American colonies. Her meticulous observations and detailed illustrations of various flora earned her recognition among the scientific community of her time.
In the 19th century, Kathalyn Middleton, an English author and social reformer, used her writings to advocate for women's rights and educational opportunities. Her influential works helped shape the discourse around gender equality in Victorian Britain.
Lastly, in the early 20th century, Kathalyn Hepburn, an American actress and philanthropist, achieved fame and acclaim for her performances on stage and screen. Her iconic roles and unwavering commitment to various charitable causes solidified her place as a cultural icon of her era.
These historical figures, spanning several centuries, exemplify the enduring presence and diverse backgrounds of individuals bearing the name Kathalyn. While the name's origins can be traced back to ancient Greek roots, its evolution and adaptation across different cultures and time periods have contributed to its unique character and significance.
People
Kathalyn + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kathalyn as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with K
Other first names starting with K with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Kathalyn: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kathalyn?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 14 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kathalyn 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 24,482,453 US residents.
Is Kathalyn a common name?
We classify Kathalyn as "Very Rare". It ranks above 34% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 29 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kathalyn most popular?
The single biggest year for Kathalyn was 1945, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kathalyn is about 77 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Kathalyn in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Kathalyn a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kathalyn 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.
Is Kathalyn still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Kathalyn in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Kathalyn can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have Kathalyn as a first name?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.