Katelyn
Girl name · #1078 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Katelyn? In official American birth records, Katelyn has been tracked continuously since 1970, giving it 55 years of documented American history.
Katelyn ranks #1078 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 225 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #239, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 8,000 girls born in 2025 was named Katelyn.
The 55-year story
Katelyn first appears in the Social Security records in 1970, when 9 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1993, when 5,975 girls were named Katelyn — good for #54 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. 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.
Babies named Katelyn per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Katelyn against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Katelyn in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Katelyn is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Katelyn will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Katelyn is most common
Geography matters for names, and Katelyn is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Katelyn is most common in MI (0.3 per 1,000), PA (0.2 per 1,000), CA (0.2 per 1,000), TX (0.2 per 1,000), FL (0.1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.2 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Katelyn is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Katelyn
Statistically, parents drawn to Katelyn tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Kaitlyn, Kaylyn, Caitlyn, Ashlyn, and Madalyn.
KaitlynKaylynCaitlynAshlynMadalynKimberlynJacklynAllyson
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Katelyn | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 225 | #1076 |
| 2024 | 286 | #926 |
| 2023 | 315 | #850 |
| 2022 | 309 | #901 |
| 2021 | 376 | #761 |
| 2020 | 420 | #676 |
| 2019 | 576 | #531 |
| 2018 | 619 | #503 |
| 2017 | 768 | #413 |
| 2016 | 871 | #376 |
| 2015 | 1,385 | #239 |
| 2014 | 1,924 | #172 |
| 2013 | 2,149 | #143 |
| 2012 | 2,416 | #132 |
| 2011 | 2,842 | #106 |
| 2010 | 2,959 | #103 |
| 2009 | 3,571 | #90 |
| 2008 | 3,976 | #80 |
| 2007 | 4,259 | #75 |
| 2006 | 4,890 | #61 |
| 2005 | 4,928 | #59 |
| 2004 | 4,952 | #59 |
| 2003 | 5,054 | #58 |
| 2002 | 5,267 | #53 |
| 2001 | 5,441 | #52 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Katelyn?
In official American birth records, the name Katelyn first appeared in 1970 (over 55 years ago), when 9 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 55 years.
Is Katelyn a popular girl name?
Katelyn ranked #1078 among girls in 2025 with 225 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #239.
When was the name Katelyn most popular?
Katelyn peaked in 1993, when 5,975 American girls received the name (ranked #54 that year). Since 1993 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Katelyn?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 8,000 newborn American girls was named Katelyn. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.