Caitlin

Updated: September 28, 2023 by Shannon Phillips

Caitlin is a classic baby girl name with an infusion of Irish charm. With the same roots as names like Katie and Cathleen, this name possesses a simplicity and balance that makes it popular in all forms of media. Caitlin Snow is a character in the DC Comics universe, and Caitlin “Cate” Todd is a character on television's NCIS. Keep reading to learn more about this baby name.

Meaning of the Name Caitlin

Caitlin is an anglicized version of the name Irish Caitlín or the Old French name Cateline. These names ultimately derive from the Greek word katharos, meaning “pure”.

Caitlin is an Irish version of the name Katherine. The name arrived in Ireland through the earlier French version known as Cateline. In Gaelic Irish, the original pronunciation is cotch-leen. Literary scholars believe that legends associated with the French and Irish spellings provided the primary source for The Countess Cathleen. In this legend, a wealthy peer sells her soul to the devil in exchange for food for the starving. But when the devil arrives to collect payment upon her death, God intercedes and sends Caitlin straight to heaven. The symbol for Caitlin is the redeemed soul.

Nicknames for Caitlin

The name Caitlin evokes feelings of calm and contentment. This is a traditional, common name and is usually fairly easy to come up with a nickname for. We've compiled a list below of different nicknames you can use for the Caitlin in your life: