Kathlyn
Girl name · #4769 in 2025 · Uniqueness 48/100
In 2025, 28 baby girls were named Kathlyn, placing it at #4769 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #5833, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 64,286 girls born in 2025 was named Kathlyn.
Babies named Kathlyn per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 128-year story
Kathlyn first appears in the Social Security records in 1897, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1951, when 125 girls were named Kathlyn — good for #794 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Kathlyn against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Kathlyn in class?
Kathlyn scores 48 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. Distinctive-band names are familiar enough to pronounce on the first try, uncommon enough to feel chosen rather than defaulted.
Where Kathlyn is most common
State-level data for Kathlyn is sparse in 2025 — the name's footprint is too small for most states to report (the SSA suppresses counts under 5 per state for privacy).
Names like Kathlyn
Statistically, parents drawn to Kathlyn tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Jacquelyn, Bronwyn, Leeann, Carolynn, and Janette.
JacquelynBronwynLeeannCarolynnJanetteCarolynMarilynnRonni
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Kathlyn | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 28 | #4758 |
| 2024 | 63 | #2722 |
| 2023 | 9 | #10312 |
| 2022 | 6 | #13592 |
| 2021 | 10 | #9562 |
| 2020 | 9 | #10250 |
| 2019 | 11 | #9112 |
| 2018 | 13 | #8146 |
| 2017 | 12 | #8776 |
| 2016 | 13 | #8393 |
| 2015 | 22 | #5833 |
| 2014 | 12 | #8966 |
| 2013 | 19 | #6462 |
| 2012 | 15 | #7804 |
| 2011 | 20 | #6335 |
| 2010 | 15 | #7880 |
| 2009 | 31 | #4677 |
| 2008 | 23 | #5955 |
| 2007 | 34 | #4380 |
| 2006 | 42 | #3669 |
| 2005 | 39 | #3730 |
| 2004 | 44 | #3391 |
| 2003 | 41 | #3472 |
| 2002 | 34 | #3810 |
| 2001 | 42 | #3256 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Kathlyn a popular girl name?
Kathlyn ranked #4769 among girls in 2025 with 28 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #5833.
When was the name Kathlyn most popular?
Kathlyn peaked in 1951, when 125 American girls received the name (ranked #794 that year). Since 1951 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Kathlyn?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 64,286 newborn American girls was named Kathlyn. It scores 48/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.