Kathleen
About Kathleen
Kathleen is the early Irish import version that came between Katherine and Kaitlin, and which hasn't been used in so long it's almost beginning to sound fresh again. It was a surprise pick by one of the hip Dixie Chicks, Martie Maguire. Kathleen was a Top 10 name from 1948 to 1951, and it is the subject of several old sentimental songs, such as "I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen."
From the eighteenth century, Kathleen Ni Houlihan appears in Irish songs as a symbol of Ireland, representing its struggle for independence.
Kathy Griffin and Kate Walsh were born Kathleen, and it's J.K. Rowling's adopted middle name, after her paternal grandmother. JFK's sister Kathleen was known as Kick.
Pronounced kath-LEEN; kat-LEEN.
As of October 2026, Kathleen ranked #1156 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #9 in 1949, Nameberry popularity #337.
Editor's take: The name Kathleen is a girl's name of Irish origin meaning "pure".
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank | Births | Per million |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #674 | 422 | 236.2 |
| 2015 | #823 | 341 | 191 |
| 2016 | #841 | 340 | 191.9 |
| 2017 | #871 | 314 | 181.9 |
| 2018 | #884 | 306 | 179.9 |
| 2019 | #944 | 280 | 166.8 |
| 2020 | #1,005 | 253 | 156.5 |
| 2021 | #987 | 262 | 159.7 |
| 2022 | #1,096 | 228 | 139 |
| 2023 | #1,021 | 248 | 154.6 |
| 2024 | #1,109 | 220 | 135.8 |
| 2025 | #1,156 | 201 | 125.1 |
World rankings
Similar names
These 20 names were selected by our users looking for other names like Kathleen.
- Elisabeth
- Jacqueline
- Joanna
- Theresa
- Johanna
- Monica
- Bethany
- Paulina
- Teresa
- Christine
- Ellen
- Miranda
- Marianne
- Diane
- Rebekah
- Marie
- Deborah
- Joyce
- Eileen
- Erica
Kathleen on lists
Famous Kathleens
- Kathleen Sebelius
U.S. health secretary and former governor of Kansas
- Kathleen Babineaux Blanco
American politician, former governor of Louisiana
- Kathleen Hanna
American musician and activist
- Kathleen O'Day Wynne
Canadian politician, premier of Ontario
- (Mary) Kathleen Turner
American actress
- Kathleen "Kathy" Ireland
American model/actress
- Kathleen Doyle "Kathy" Bates
American actress
- Kathleen Mary "Kathy" Griffin
American actress/comedian
- Kathleen Erin "Kate" Walsh
American actress
- Kathleen Winsor
American author
- Kathleen Kennedy Townsend
American politician; daughter of politician Robert F. Kennedy and Ethel Skakel
- Kathleen Agnes "Kick" Kennedy Cavendish
sister of U.S. President John F. Kennedy
- Kathleen Kenyon
British archaeologist
- Kathleen Noone
American actress
- Kathleen Deanna Battle
American operatic soprano
- Kathleen "Kitty" McKane Godfree
English tennis player
- Kathleen Denise Quinlan
American actress
- Kathleen Barr
Canadian voice actress
- Kathleen York
American actress & songwriter
- Kathleen
Archduchess of Austria
- Kathleen Munroe
Canadian actress
- Kathleen Boyle
Scottish musician of group Cherish The Ladies
- Kathleen Fuentes
YouTuber
- Kathleen Genevieve "Katie" Ledecky
American swimmer
- Kathleen DeLeon Jones
Filipino,Australian singer and children's performer, former member of Australian children's group Hi,5
- Kathleen Rose Perkins
American actress
- Kathleen Biden
estranged wife of Hunter Biden, son of former US VP Joe Biden
- Kathleen Margaret Edwards
Canadian singer,songwriter
- (Erica) Kathleen "Kathy" Horvath
American tennis player
- Joanne Kathleen "J.K." Rowling
British novelist
- Kathleen Rose Park
daughter of Michael Park
- Kathleen "Katie" Camille Naughton
American soccer player
- Kathleen Emilie Maguire (b. 2004)
daughter of Gareth Maguire
- Aquinnah Kathleen Fox
daughter of Machael J. Fox
- Gabrielle Kathleen McCarthy (b. 2008)
daughter of Mike McCarthy
- Paulina Kathleen Myers (b. 2015)
daughter of Mike Myers
- Ava Rose Kathleen McBride (b. 2005)
daughter of Martina McBride
Kathleen in pop culture
- Kathleen Kelly
Meg Ryan's character in "You've Got Mail"
- Kathleen "Kathy" Duquesne
character in DC Universe
- Kathleen
character in "Fall on Your Knees" (Anne,Marie MacDonald)
- Kathleen
Elliot Stabler's daughter on "Law and Order: SVU"
- Kathleen "Kat" Harvey
from the movie "Casper the Friendly Ghost"
- Kathleen
one of the Twelve Dancing Princesses in the Barbie version
- Kathleen Ni Houlihan
personification of Ireland
- Kathleen Walsh
character on "Medium"
- Kathleen Gregory
character in the "St Clare" book series by Enid Blyton
- "Kathleen
" song by Catfish and the Bottlemen
- Kathleen
1941 film starring Shirley Temple
- Kathleen
character on TV's Call the midwife, Mary's baby daughter
- Kathleen Mead
character in the Degrassi franchise
Variations & nicknames
- Kathy
- Kate
- Katey
- Kat
- Katie