Meaning:
Its source is Caitlin, a Gaelic name meaning "Pure."
Popularity:
The name Cathleen ranked 657th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.
Though this name has fluctuated in use, it has been quietly present throughout the last century.
Narrative:
This English variation on the Irish name Caitlin has been popular in both America and the British Isles since the 1920s.
It rose to prominence with an entire group of Irish-sounding names that share the ''-een'' suffix, including Maureen, Colleen, Eileen and Irene.