Katelynn

Primarily a girl's name of Irish origin with 30,615 recorded births. Also given to 11 boys.

Girl's nameAlso boy's#2287 in 2024Declining

Meaning & Origin

A female given name from Irish, one of the modern spelling variants of Caitlin.

Katelynn is a girl's and boy's baby name of Irish origin, a modern compound spelling of Kate (Greek, 'pure') and Lynn (Welsh, 'lake'), or a variant of Caitlin, the Irish form of Catherine. The -lynn ending softens the name with a gentle, flowing quality.

EtymologyShow more

Phonetically, Katelynn belongs to a cluster of names characterized by their smooth, flowing ending — a popular compound ending in American feminine naming. At three syllables, it has a three-beat flow that carries a sense of formality and completeness.

Within the Irish naming tradition, names with similar sound structures often share underlying etymological patterns. Exploring Irish names on this site may surface connections that illuminate Katelynn’s linguistic neighborhood.

At a Glance

30,615

Total births

Since 1979

1998

Peak

1,457 births

1979

First recorded

46 years of data

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Popularity Over Time

Katelynn was #255 twenty years ago and has since drifted to #2287, but its charm endures.

First appeared: 1979Peak: 1998 (1,457 births)Current: #2287

Popularity by Decade

Decade-by-decade popularity data for Katelynn
Decade	Births	Avg Rank	Trend
2020s	470	#2148	▼
2010s	5,012	#765	▼
2000s	12,198	#270	▲
1990s	11,306	#264	▲
1980s	1,624	#2887	▲
1970s	5	#10929	—

The Story of Katelynn

A Gen Z name

Peaking in 1998, Katelynn is a name that defines a generation. Girls named Katelynn are most likely born between 1988 and 2008.

How rare is Katelynn?

Only about 1 in every 44,444 babies born in 2024 was named Katelynn — a truly uncommon choice.

The journey through the decades

First appeared in the records in 1979, grew steadily over the decades, peaked in the 2000s with 12,198 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.

Katelynn by the numbers

More Katelynns than the population of a small U.S. town
Would fill 638 school buses
Meeting one Katelynn per day would take 83.9 years

Year-by-Year Data

View complete yearly data(46 years, 1979–2024)

Year-by-year popularity data for the name Katelynn
Year	Births	Rank	Change
2024	81	#2287	+11 (15.7%)
2023	70	#2533	-1 (-1.4%)
2022	71	#2516	-31 (-30.4%)
2021	102	#1933	-44 (-30.1%)
2020	146	#1470	-36 (-19.8%)
2019	182	#1277	-6 (-3.2%)
2018	188	#1240	0
2017	188	#1260	-61 (-24.5%)
2016	249	#1050	-191 (-43.4%)
2015	440	#653	-102 (-18.8%)
2014	542	#566	-77 (-12.4%)
2013	619	#487	-118 (-16.0%)
2012	737	#427	-102 (-12.2%)
2011	839	#380	-189 (-18.4%)
2010	1,028	#312	-2 (-0.2%)
2009	1,030	#317	-108 (-9.5%)
2008	1,138	#293	-68 (-5.6%)
2007	1,206	#283	-11 (-0.9%)
2006	1,217	#273	+104 (9.3%)
2005	1,113	#294	-156 (-12.3%)

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.

Katelynn as a Boy's Name

While overwhelmingly a girl's name, Katelynn has also been given to 11 boys in the U.S. since 1989.

Unranked

Current rank

Total births

1989

Peak year

Compare Katelynn as girl vs boy

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Katelynn a boy's or girl's name?

Katelynn is primarily a girl's name. It is also used as a boy's name, with 11 recorded births.

When was Katelynn most popular?

Katelynn reached its peak popularity in 1998 with 1,457 births that year. It is currently ranked #2287 in the U.S.

How popular is the name Katelynn?

Katelynn is currently ranked #2287 in the U.S. (2024). It has been given to 30,615 babies since 1979.

Can Katelynn be used for both boys and girls?

Yes, Katelynn is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name, it currently ranks #2287. As a boy's name, it is not currently in the top rankings.

Explore More

By Length8-letter names By OriginIrish names By EndingNames in -n TrendingRising names RankingsFull rankings

Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1979–2024