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
Show data for
Peak · girls
1949 · 26,357 births
Debut · girls
21 births
In top 100 · girls
72 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · girls
713,645
since 1880

Kathleen over time

girls

Rank among girls' names. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201929peak #9, 1949girls
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
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#1,150201—
2024#1,099223—
2023#1,018248—
2022#1,095228—
2021#987262—
2020#1,004253—
2019#944280—
2018#883306—
2017#870314—
2016#838341—
2015#823341—
2014#674422—
2013#660432—
2012#661427—
2011#630451—
2010#594495—
2009#563542—
2008#448704—
2007#422779—
2006#371878—
2005#339934—
2004#3161,002—
2003#2841,096—
2002#2621,208—
2001#2361,337—
2000#2041,585—
1999#1921,630—
1998#1711,739—
1997#1751,742—
1996#1522,107—
1995#1392,280—
1994#1302,430—
1993#1182,742—
1992#1083,135—
1991#1023,371#8,2365
1990#923,670#3,97114
1989#903,596#2,41627
1988#753,927#4,16211
1987#724,165#2,64120
1986#684,129#3,00516
1985#684,087#2,35722
1984#713,985#2,09825
1983#733,923#2,40820
1982#773,949#2,51819
1981#823,776#3,03014
1980#823,857#3,83810
1979#843,641#4,4038
1978#793,743#2,56817
1977#803,649#2,66516
1976#823,405#2,70915
1975#803,545#2,36118
1974#763,953#1,93423
1973#684,250#2,12419
1972#575,097#1,92822
1971#536,154#2,27917
1970#457,410#1,84723
1969#428,299#1,68024
1968#408,729#1,33933
1967#409,209#1,36431
1966#3710,491#1,32733
1965#3411,778#1,33533
1964#3013,231#1,48728
1963#2813,547#1,45529
1962#2914,188#1,42330
1961#2915,395#1,55227
1960#2716,085#1,40032
1959#2317,629#1,11748
1958#2119,205#1,08150
1957#2119,742#1,30036
1956#1721,377#1,20340
1955#1722,014#1,31333
1954#1422,455#1,16941
1953#1423,731#1,26135
1952#1125,767#1,19538
1951#1026,716#1,27933
1950#1025,706#1,12340
1949#926,357#92356
1948#1023,257#1,16038
1947#1122,095#1,03648
1946#1618,760#1,21733
1945#1913,802#1,10335
1944#2013,004#1,28227
1943#2212,153#1,18733
1942#2410,696#1,13936
1941#367,160#1,20930
1940#405,697#1,31126
1939#484,656#1,57818
1938#584,228#1,55919
1937#613,743#1,82815
1936#673,352#2,06212
1935#713,353#1,92914
1934#743,279#1,42523
1933#773,121#1,82915
1932#832,945#2,10113
1931#872,799#2,10113
1930#843,074#1,88916
1929#892,941#1,67220
1928#823,151#2,04815
1927#833,265#2,9129
1926#833,277#4,2015
1925#813,503#2,58811
1924#763,663#3,5057
1923#703,754#2,77210
1922#803,466—
1921#833,419#4,3225
1920#913,158—
1919#1012,587—
1918#992,629—
1917#1012,358—
1916#1042,154#2,9268
1915#1041,940#3,3926
1914#1101,475—
1913#1101,179—
1912#118985—
1911#126663—
1910#131622—
1909#135527—
1908#132527—
1907#149440—
1906#143412—
1905#152386—
1904#147362—
1903#149352—
1902#159325—
1901#169272—
1900#170321—
1899#184230—
1898#163306—
1897#173250—
1896#169259—
1895#196192—
1894#205168—
1893#196170—
1892#208149—
1891#227113—
1890#239105—
1889#25187—
1888#28667—
1887#30250—
1886#31843—
1885#32938—
1884#38527—
1883#41121—
1882#37722—
1881#47013—
1880#35221—
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 1929

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Kathleen, so not publishedAKMaine: #65 for girls · 27 births · 1 in 234 girlsMEVermont: #77 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 282 girlsVTNew Hampshire: #75 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 283 girlsNHWashington: #47 for girls · 46 births · 1 in 198 girlsWAIdaho: #60 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 235 girlsIDMontana: #75 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 253 girlsMTNorth Dakota: #79 for girls · 22 births · 1 in 278 girlsNDMinnesota: #52 for girls · 93 births · 1 in 207 girlsMNIllinois: #99 for girls · 118 births · 1 in 484 girlsILWisconsin: #60 for girls · 94 births · 1 in 253 girlsWIMichigan: #69 for girls · 160 births · 1 in 263 girlsMINew York: #69 for girls · 351 births · 1 in 275 girlsNYMassachusetts: #62 for girls · 125 births · 1 in 252 girlsMARhode Island: #119 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 545 girlsRIOregon: #51 for girls · 24 births · 1 in 215 girlsORNevada: fewer than 5 girls named Kathleen, so not publishedNVWyoming: #74 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 245 girlsWYSouth Dakota: #64 for girls · 20 births · 1 in 269 girlsSDIowa: #57 for girls · 76 births · 1 in 244 girlsIAIndiana: #83 for girls · 64 births · 1 in 386 girlsINOhio: #74 for girls · 172 births · 1 in 299 girlsOHPennsylvania: #71 for girls · 265 births · 1 in 313 girlsPANew Jersey: #74 for girls · 89 births · 1 in 328 girlsNJConnecticut: #77 for girls · 35 births · 1 in 318 girlsCTCalifornia: #87 for girls · 90 births · 1 in 397 girlsCAUtah: #83 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 324 girlsUTColorado: #127 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 519 girlsCONebraska: #65 for girls · 39 births · 1 in 272 girlsNEMissouri: #98 for girls · 70 births · 1 in 395 girlsMOKentucky: #83 for girls · 78 births · 1 in 339 girlsKYWest Virginia: #39 for girls · 98 births · 1 in 185 girlsWVVirginia: #82 for girls · 80 births · 1 in 297 girlsVAMaryland: #85 for girls · 35 births · 1 in 359 girlsMDDelaware: fewer than 5 girls named Kathleen, so not publishedDEArizona: fewer than 5 girls named Kathleen, so not publishedAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 girls named Kathleen, so not publishedNMKansas: #88 for girls · 38 births · 1 in 369 girlsKSArkansas: #150 for girls · 29 births · 1 in 629 girlsARTennessee: #111 for girls · 59 births · 1 in 436 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #84 for girls · 109 births · 1 in 329 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #120 for girls · 39 births · 1 in 497 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: #104 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 489 girlsDCOklahoma: #163 for girls · 31 births · 1 in 736 girlsOKLouisiana: #240 for girls · 17 births · 1 in 1,260 girlsLAMississippi: #153 for girls · 36 births · 1 in 597 girlsMSAlabama: #105 for girls · 73 births · 1 in 411 girlsALGeorgia: #123 for girls · 57 births · 1 in 527 girlsGAHawaii: #188 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 703 girlsHITexas: #280 for girls · 42 births · 1 in 1,436 girlsTXFlorida: #140 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 584 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. West Virginia#39 · 1 in 185
  2. Washington#47 · 1 in 198
  3. Oregon#51 · 1 in 215
  4. Minnesota#52 · 1 in 207
  5. Iowa#57 · 1 in 244

Best ever in a state: #3 in North Dakota, 1950.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
West Virginia#39981 in 185
Washington#47461 in 198
Oregon#51241 in 215
Minnesota#52931 in 207
Iowa#57761 in 244
Idaho#60141 in 235
Wisconsin#60941 in 253
Massachusetts#621251 in 252
South Dakota#64201 in 269
Maine#65271 in 234
Nebraska#65391 in 272
Michigan#691601 in 263
New York#693511 in 275
Pennsylvania#712651 in 313
New Jersey#74891 in 328
Ohio#741721 in 299
Wyoming#7461 in 245
Montana#75151 in 253
New Hampshire#75111 in 283
Connecticut#77351 in 318
Vermont#7791 in 282
North Dakota#79221 in 278
Virginia#82801 in 297
Indiana#83641 in 386
Kentucky#83781 in 339
Utah#83141 in 324
North Carolina#841091 in 329
Maryland#85351 in 359
California#87901 in 397
Kansas#88381 in 369
Missouri#98701 in 395
Illinois#991181 in 484
District of Columbia#10471 in 489
Alabama#105731 in 411
Tennessee#111591 in 436
Rhode Island#11991 in 545
South Carolina#120391 in 497
Georgia#123571 in 527
Colorado#127161 in 519
Florida#140211 in 584
Arkansas#150291 in 629
Mississippi#153361 in 597
Oklahoma#163311 in 736
Hawaii#18851 in 703
Louisiana#240171 in 1,260
Texas#280421 in 1,436
Alaska———
Arizona———
Delaware———
Nevada———
New Mexico———

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
  • 51 spots since 2024 (#1,099 → #1,150)
  • 146 spots since 2020 (#1,004 → #1,150)
  • 327 spots since 2015 (#823 → #1,150)
  • Biggest jump: 93 spots in 1882 (#470 → #377)
  • Biggest drop: 149 spots in 2015 (#674 → #823)
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
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s389#251 (1889)#348
1890s1,942#163 (1898)#196
1900s3,924#132 (1908)#151
1910s16,592#99 (1918)#110
1920s33,597#70 (1923)#82
1930s34,550#48 (1939)#71
1940s152,981#9 (1949)#21
1950s224,342#10 (1951)#16
1960s120,952#27 (1960)#34
1970s44,847#45 (1970)#70
1980s39,394#68 (1986)#76
1990s24,846#92 (1990)#138
2000s10,065#204 (2000)#345
2010s3,809#594 (2010)#758
2020s1,415#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.

Kathleen in 1929

girls
#89
2,941 births · 1 in 380 girls
boys
#1,672
20 births · 1 in 53,781 boys

Top girls' names in 1929

  1. #1Mary63,512
  2. #2Betty36,675
  3. #3Dorothy31,476
  4. #4Helen20,983
  5. #5Margaret19,212
  6. #6Doris16,498
  7. #7Barbara16,038
  8. #8Ruth16,021
  9. #9Shirley14,576
  10. #10Patricia13,624
  11. #89Kathleen2,941

Top boys' names in 1929

  1. #1Robert59,807
  2. #2James52,135
  3. #3John52,112
  4. #4William47,815
  5. #5Charles29,930
  6. #6Richard29,572
  7. #7Donald27,181
  8. #8George23,020
  9. #9Joseph21,165
  10. #10Edward17,220
  11. #1,672Kathleen20
More about 1929

girls

1,116,561 girls got a published name in 1929; 1 in 380 of them was named Kathleen, which outranked 98.3% of the 5,277 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 22.3% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Kathleen
  1. #86Bonnie2,974
  2. #87Jacqueline2,970
  3. #88Julia2,950
  4. #89Kathleen2,941
  5. #90Laura2,936
  6. #91Anne2,881
  7. #92Jeanne2,818
Biggest movers since 1928
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,951Dorla#2,623 → #672
  2. ↑ 797Ingrid#1,738 → #941
  3. ↑ 534Sydell#1,502 → #968
  4. ↑ 521Elenor#1,502 → #981
  5. ↑ 406Jeanine#888 → #482
Fallers
  1. ↓ 937Joline#888 → #1,825
  2. ↓ 259Mafalda#936 → #1,195
  3. ↓ 250Lorelei#994 → #1,244
  4. ↓ 249Ardelle#888 → #1,137
  5. ↓ 234Charmaine#420 → #654

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

1,075,615 boys got a published name in 1929; 1 in 53,781 of them was named Kathleen, which outranked 63.2% of the 4,545 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.5% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Kathleen
  1. #1,611Umberto21
  2. #1,611Vidal21
  3. #1,611Xavier21
  4. #1,672Kathleen20
  5. #1,672Aime20
  6. #1,672Anselmo20
  7. #1,672Aram20
  8. #1,731Alfonza19
  9. #1,731Alphonzo19
  10. #1,731Ancil19

Tied with 58 names at #1,672; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1928
Risers
  1. ↑ 2,188Davey#2,843 → #655
  2. ↑ 554Davie#1,413 → #859
  3. ↑ 374Derald#1,095 → #721
  4. ↑ 358Vernal#1,353 → #995
  5. ↑ 350Ken#1,228 → #878
Fallers
  1. ↓ 530Adolf#950 → #1,480
  2. ↓ 426Quinton#913 → #1,339
  3. ↓ 349Thornton#963 → #1,312
  4. ↓ 346Verlyn#891 → #1,237
  5. ↓ 346Isidore#891 → #1,237

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1929 →