Kathleen
- #1,150 for girls in 2025, 201 births
- Last seen for boys in 1991 at #8,236
- Given to girls 99.8% of the time
Showing
- Peak · girls
- 1949 · 26,357 births
- Debut · girls
- 21 births
- In top 100 · girls
- 72 yrsof 146 years
- Total births · girls
- 713,645since 1880
Kathleen over time
girls
Rank among girls' names. Click any year to open it.
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.
Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.
Show data table
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | #1,150 | 201 | — | |
| 2024 | #1,099 | 223 | — | |
| 2023 | #1,018 | 248 | — | |
| 2022 | #1,095 | 228 | — | |
| 2021 | #987 | 262 | — | |
| 2020 | #1,004 | 253 | — | |
| 2019 | #944 | 280 | — | |
| 2018 | #883 | 306 | — | |
| 2017 | #870 | 314 | — | |
| 2016 | #838 | 341 | — | |
| 2015 | #823 | 341 | — | |
| 2014 | #674 | 422 | — | |
| 2013 | #660 | 432 | — | |
| 2012 | #661 | 427 | — | |
| 2011 | #630 | 451 | — | |
| 2010 | #594 | 495 | — | |
| 2009 | #563 | 542 | — | |
| 2008 | #448 | 704 | — | |
| 2007 | #422 | 779 | — | |
| 2006 | #371 | 878 | — | |
| 2005 | #339 | 934 | — | |
| 2004 | #316 | 1,002 | — | |
| 2003 | #284 | 1,096 | — | |
| 2002 | #262 | 1,208 | — | |
| 2001 | #236 | 1,337 | — | |
| 2000 | #204 | 1,585 | — | |
| 1999 | #192 | 1,630 | — | |
| 1998 | #171 | 1,739 | — | |
| 1997 | #175 | 1,742 | — | |
| 1996 | #152 | 2,107 | — | |
| 1995 | #139 | 2,280 | — | |
| 1994 | #130 | 2,430 | — | |
| 1993 | #118 | 2,742 | — | |
| 1992 | #108 | 3,135 | — | |
| 1991 | #102 | 3,371 | #8,236 | 5 |
| 1990 | #92 | 3,670 | #3,971 | 14 |
| 1989 | #90 | 3,596 | #2,416 | 27 |
| 1988 | #75 | 3,927 | #4,162 | 11 |
| 1987 | #72 | 4,165 | #2,641 | 20 |
| 1986 | #68 | 4,129 | #3,005 | 16 |
| 1985 | #68 | 4,087 | #2,357 | 22 |
| 1984 | #71 | 3,985 | #2,098 | 25 |
| 1983 | #73 | 3,923 | #2,408 | 20 |
| 1982 | #77 | 3,949 | #2,518 | 19 |
| 1981 | #82 | 3,776 | #3,030 | 14 |
| 1980 | #82 | 3,857 | #3,838 | 10 |
| 1979 | #84 | 3,641 | #4,403 | 8 |
| 1978 | #79 | 3,743 | #2,568 | 17 |
| 1977 | #80 | 3,649 | #2,665 | 16 |
| 1976 | #82 | 3,405 | #2,709 | 15 |
| 1975 | #80 | 3,545 | #2,361 | 18 |
| 1974 | #76 | 3,953 | #1,934 | 23 |
| 1973 | #68 | 4,250 | #2,124 | 19 |
| 1972 | #57 | 5,097 | #1,928 | 22 |
| 1971 | #53 | 6,154 | #2,279 | 17 |
| 1970 | #45 | 7,410 | #1,847 | 23 |
| 1969 | #42 | 8,299 | #1,680 | 24 |
| 1968 | #40 | 8,729 | #1,339 | 33 |
| 1967 | #40 | 9,209 | #1,364 | 31 |
| 1966 | #37 | 10,491 | #1,327 | 33 |
| 1965 | #34 | 11,778 | #1,335 | 33 |
| 1964 | #30 | 13,231 | #1,487 | 28 |
| 1963 | #28 | 13,547 | #1,455 | 29 |
| 1962 | #29 | 14,188 | #1,423 | 30 |
| 1961 | #29 | 15,395 | #1,552 | 27 |
| 1960 | #27 | 16,085 | #1,400 | 32 |
| 1959 | #23 | 17,629 | #1,117 | 48 |
| 1958 | #21 | 19,205 | #1,081 | 50 |
| 1957 | #21 | 19,742 | #1,300 | 36 |
| 1956 | #17 | 21,377 | #1,203 | 40 |
| 1955 | #17 | 22,014 | #1,313 | 33 |
| 1954 | #14 | 22,455 | #1,169 | 41 |
| 1953 | #14 | 23,731 | #1,261 | 35 |
| 1952 | #11 | 25,767 | #1,195 | 38 |
| 1951 | #10 | 26,716 | #1,279 | 33 |
| 1950 | #10 | 25,706 | #1,123 | 40 |
| 1949 | #9 | 26,357 | #923 | 56 |
| 1948 | #10 | 23,257 | #1,160 | 38 |
| 1947 | #11 | 22,095 | #1,036 | 48 |
| 1946 | #16 | 18,760 | #1,217 | 33 |
| 1945 | #19 | 13,802 | #1,103 | 35 |
| 1944 | #20 | 13,004 | #1,282 | 27 |
| 1943 | #22 | 12,153 | #1,187 | 33 |
| 1942 | #24 | 10,696 | #1,139 | 36 |
| 1941 | #36 | 7,160 | #1,209 | 30 |
| 1940 | #40 | 5,697 | #1,311 | 26 |
| 1939 | #48 | 4,656 | #1,578 | 18 |
| 1938 | #58 | 4,228 | #1,559 | 19 |
| 1937 | #61 | 3,743 | #1,828 | 15 |
| 1936 | #67 | 3,352 | #2,062 | 12 |
| 1935 | #71 | 3,353 | #1,929 | 14 |
| 1934 | #74 | 3,279 | #1,425 | 23 |
| 1933 | #77 | 3,121 | #1,829 | 15 |
| 1932 | #83 | 2,945 | #2,101 | 13 |
| 1931 | #87 | 2,799 | #2,101 | 13 |
| 1930 | #84 | 3,074 | #1,889 | 16 |
| 1929 | #89 | 2,941 | #1,672 | 20 |
| 1928 | #82 | 3,151 | #2,048 | 15 |
| 1927 | #83 | 3,265 | #2,912 | 9 |
| 1926 | #83 | 3,277 | #4,201 | 5 |
| 1925 | #81 | 3,503 | #2,588 | 11 |
| 1924 | #76 | 3,663 | #3,505 | 7 |
| 1923 | #70 | 3,754 | #2,772 | 10 |
| 1922 | #80 | 3,466 | — | |
| 1921 | #83 | 3,419 | #4,322 | 5 |
| 1920 | #91 | 3,158 | — | |
| 1919 | #101 | 2,587 | — | |
| 1918 | #99 | 2,629 | — | |
| 1917 | #101 | 2,358 | — | |
| 1916 | #104 | 2,154 | #2,926 | 8 |
| 1915 | #104 | 1,940 | #3,392 | 6 |
| 1914 | #110 | 1,475 | — | |
| 1913 | #110 | 1,179 | — | |
| 1912 | #118 | 985 | — | |
| 1911 | #126 | 663 | — | |
| 1910 | #131 | 622 | — | |
| 1909 | #135 | 527 | — | |
| 1908 | #132 | 527 | — | |
| 1907 | #149 | 440 | — | |
| 1906 | #143 | 412 | — | |
| 1905 | #152 | 386 | — | |
| 1904 | #147 | 362 | — | |
| 1903 | #149 | 352 | — | |
| 1902 | #159 | 325 | — | |
| 1901 | #169 | 272 | — | |
| 1900 | #170 | 321 | — | |
| 1899 | #184 | 230 | — | |
| 1898 | #163 | 306 | — | |
| 1897 | #173 | 250 | — | |
| 1896 | #169 | 259 | — | |
| 1895 | #196 | 192 | — | |
| 1894 | #205 | 168 | — | |
| 1893 | #196 | 170 | — | |
| 1892 | #208 | 149 | — | |
| 1891 | #227 | 113 | — | |
| 1890 | #239 | 105 | — | |
| 1889 | #251 | 87 | — | |
| 1888 | #286 | 67 | — | |
| 1887 | #302 | 50 | — | |
| 1886 | #318 | 43 | — | |
| 1885 | #329 | 38 | — | |
| 1884 | #385 | 27 | — | |
| 1883 | #411 | 21 | — | |
| 1882 | #377 | 22 | — | |
| 1881 | #470 | 13 | — | |
| 1880 | #352 | 21 | — | |
First appearance
1880
In the first year the SSA published name data, Kathleen was already there! It came in at #352, and was given to 21 baby girls.
Quietest stretch: 1881, when fewer than 14 girls a year got the name.
Where Kathleen is popular in 2025
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
Top states · girls
- Pennsylvania#515 · 1 in 2,334
- Massachusetts#519 · 1 in 2,403
- Ohio#743 · 1 in 3,939
- Illinois#852 · 1 in 4,433
- North Carolina#905 · 1 in 4,648
Best ever in a state: #3 in North Dakota, 1950.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | #515 | 20 | 1 in 2,334 |
| Massachusetts | #519 | 10 | 1 in 2,403 |
| Ohio | #743 | 12 | 1 in 3,939 |
| Illinois | #852 | 10 | 1 in 4,433 |
| North Carolina | #905 | 10 | 1 in 4,648 |
| Michigan | #965 | 7 | 1 in 5,104 |
| Tennessee | #983 | 6 | 1 in 5,346 |
| New Jersey | #1,168 | 5 | 1 in 7,100 |
| New York | #1,312 | 10 | 1 in 7,833 |
| California | #1,361 | 17 | 1 in 9,513 |
| Texas | #1,406 | 17 | 1 in 9,444 |
| Florida | #1,887 | 6 | 1 in 14,460 |
| Alabama | — | — | — |
| Alaska | — | — | — |
| Arizona | — | — | — |
| Arkansas | — | — | — |
| Colorado | — | — | — |
| Connecticut | — | — | — |
| Delaware | — | — | — |
| District of Columbia | — | — | — |
| Georgia | — | — | — |
| Hawaii | — | — | — |
| Idaho | — | — | — |
| Indiana | — | — | — |
| Iowa | — | — | — |
| Kansas | — | — | — |
| Kentucky | — | — | — |
| Louisiana | — | — | — |
| Maine | — | — | — |
| Maryland | — | — | — |
| Minnesota | — | — | — |
| Mississippi | — | — | — |
| Missouri | — | — | — |
| Montana | — | — | — |
| Nebraska | — | — | — |
| Nevada | — | — | — |
| New Hampshire | — | — | — |
| New Mexico | — | — | — |
| North Dakota | — | — | — |
| Oklahoma | — | — | — |
| Oregon | — | — | — |
| Rhode Island | — | — | — |
| South Carolina | — | — | — |
| South Dakota | — | — | — |
| Utah | — | — | — |
| Vermont | — | — | — |
| Virginia | — | — | — |
| Washington | — | — | — |
| West Virginia | — | — | — |
| Wisconsin | — | — | — |
| Wyoming | — | — | — |
Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the girls born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.
See more about Kathleen
Momentum · girls
Holding steady
- 146 spots since 2020 (#1,004 → #1,150)
- Biggest jump: 93 spots in 1882
- Biggest drop: 149 spots in 2015
Rise & fade · girls
69 yrs to peak
- Debuted 1880
- Peaked 1949 at #9 (26,357 births)
- Births halved by 1965, 16 yrs later
Top of the charts · girls
Top 10 for 4 yrs
- Top 10: 4 yrs · run 1948–1951
- Top 100: 72 yrs · run 1920–1990
- Top 1,000: 141 yrs · run 1880–2019
Share of babies · girls
1 in 65
- Highest: 1 in 65 girls born in 1949 were named Kathleen (1.5%)
- Latest: 1 in 7,996 girls born in 2025 (0.01%)
Era · girls
The 1950s
- 31.4% of all girls named Kathleen (224,342) were born in this decade
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 389 | #251 (1889) | #348 |
| 1890s | 1,942 | #163 (1898) | #196 |
| 1900s | 3,924 | #132 (1908) | #151 |
| 1910s | 16,592 | #99 (1918) | #110 |
| 1920s | 33,597 | #70 (1923) | #82 |
| 1930s | 34,550 | #48 (1939) | #71 |
| 1940s | 152,981 | #9 (1949) | #21 |
| 1950s | 224,342 | #10 (1951) | #16 |
| 1960s | 120,952 | #27 (1960) | #34 |
| 1970s | 44,847 | #45 (1970) | #70 |
| 1980s | 39,394 | #68 (1986) | #76 |
| 1990s | 24,846 | #92 (1990) | #138 |
| 2000s | 10,065 | #204 (2000) | #345 |
| 2010s | 3,809 | #594 (2010) | #758 |
| 2020s | 1,415 | #987 (2021) | #1,059 |
All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 girls in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.
Want to check a specific year?
See where Kathleen ranked and which names it was up against. Click a point on the chart, or pick a year: