Katherleen
A feminine name derived from the Greek words "katharos" and "kathara," meaning "pure" or "clear."
Name Census estimates that about 47 living Americans carry the first name Katherleen. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Katherleen today is around 77 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Katherleen births was 1920 (13 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Katherleen. 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 Katherleen is about 77 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Katherleens were born before 1959.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Katherleen. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
47
~ 1 in 7,292,645 Americans
Peak year
1920
13 babies that year
Average age
77
years old
1963 SSA rank
#7,077
Tracked since 1917
Popularity
Katherleen: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Katherleen from the 1910s through to the 1960s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 69 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Katherleen 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 Katherleen 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 Katherleen
The given name Katherleen is derived from the Greek name Katharina, which is believed to have originated from the Greek word "katharos," meaning "pure" or "clear." This name has a rich history that spans various cultures and time periods.
The earliest known use of the name Katharina can be traced back to the late 4th century AD in ancient Greek texts. It gained popularity during the Byzantine era and spread throughout Europe during the Middle Ages.
In the Middle Ages, the name Katherleen was often associated with the legend of St. Catherine of Alexandria, a Christian martyr from the 4th century AD. This association likely contributed to the widespread use of the name among Christian communities.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Katherleen was Katherina of Siena, an influential Italian philosopher, theologian, and mystic who lived from 1347 to 1380. She played a significant role in the Catholic Church and was later canonized as a saint.
Another notable figure was Katherleen of Aragon, the first wife of King Henry VIII of England, who lived from 1485 to 1536. Her refusal to annul her marriage to Henry VIII led to the English Reformation and the establishment of the Church of England.
In the 16th century, Katherleen de' Medici, an Italian noblewoman and Queen of France from 1547 to 1589, was a prominent figure in European history. She played a pivotal role in the French Renaissance and the Wars of Religion.
During the 17th century, Katherleen Philips, an English poet and writer, made significant contributions to literature. She was born in 1631 and is known for her innovative poetic style and her role in establishing a literary circle known as the "Society of Friendship."
In the 19th century, Katherleen Beecher, an American educator and activist, lived from 1800 to 1878. She was a pioneer in the field of women's education and played a crucial role in establishing several prestigious institutions, including the Hartford Female Seminary and the American Woman's Educational Association.
These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who bore the name Katherleen. The name has a rich cultural heritage and has been associated with various influential figures across different eras and regions.
People
Katherleen + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Katherleen 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
Katherleen: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Katherleen?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 47 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Katherleen 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 7,292,645 US residents.
Is Katherleen a common name?
We classify Katherleen as "Very Rare". It ranks above 53.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 200 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Katherleen most popular?
The single biggest year for Katherleen was 1920, when 13 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Katherleen 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 Katherleen in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Katherleen a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Katherleen 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 Katherleen still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Katherleen 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 Katherleen 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 Americans are named Katherleen?
Find out how many people share the name Katherleen on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.