Meaning: Form of Katherine; traditionally associated with purity
The story
Kathleen Anglicizes Caitlín, the Irish form of an Old French Katherine name. Pure is a later religious association; the original Greek derivation remains debated.
Nicknames
- Kate
- Kathy
- Kat
- Kit
Spellings & variants
- Cathleen
- Caitlín
- Kathlyn
Popularity
Uncommon
Outside the US top 1,000.
Style
Origins
Kathleen comes from Irish and Greek.
More like Kathleen
More Irish namesAva for iPhone
Meet more names like Kathleen in Ava.
Meet one name at a time, with its meaning and origin up front and its story a tap away. Swipe up for the next, heart the ones you love and share them with your partner.
Meet Ava