Cathryn Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: KATH-rin //ˈkæθ.rɪn//
Origin: English; Welsh
Meaning: Pure; clear
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Cathryn is derived from the Greek name Aikaterine, which is believed to have originated from the Greek word "katharos," meaning "pure." This name was adopted into Latin as "Catherina" and subsequently made its way into Old French as "Catherine." The name was introduced into English through the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, where it became popularized in various forms, including Catherine and its diminutive, Cathryn. The spelling "Cathryn" emerged as a variant in the 20th century, reflecting a trend towards unique and modern adaptations of traditional names.
Historically, the name Catherine has been associated with several notable figures, including Saint Catherine of Alexandria, a Christian martyr from the 4th century, who was venerated in both the Eastern and Western Christian traditions. Her story was popularized in various hagiographies and was influential in the Middle Ages, contributing to the name's enduring presence in Christian contexts.
The name also gained prominence through royal associations, such as Catherine of Aragon, the first wife of King Henry VIII of England in the 16th century, and Catherine the Great, the Empress of Russia in the 18th century, both of whom left significant marks on history. Culturally, the name Cathryn and its variants have been imbued with connotations of purity and nobility, reflecting the qualities associated with its etymological roots.
The name has appeared in various literary works and has been celebrated in art and music, further embedding it within cultural consciousness. The enduring appeal of the name can be attributed to its historical significance and the positive attributes associated with its meaning, which have allowed it to maintain relevance across centuries.
Famous people named Cathryn
In this section, you will find notable people named Cathryn. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Cathryn who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Cathryn who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Cathryn Michon is a screenwriter and actress best known for Muffin Top: A Love Story, The Guilt Trip, and A Dog's Journey.
Cathryn de Prume is a writer and director best known for The Last Resort, The Last Resort, and The Last Resort.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Cathryn, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Cathryn. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Cathryn was first seen in the United States in 1882.
Cathryn has ranked as high as #866 nationally, which occurred in 1956, and has been most popular in California, Texas, New York, Illinois, and Pennsylvania.
In the past 5 years the name Cathryn has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Cathryn is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Cathryn was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Cathryn.
| Year | Total Births | Girl |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8 | 8 |
| 2024 | 17 | 17 |
| 2023 | 13 | 13 |
| 2022 | 16 | 16 |
| 2021 | 29 | 29 |
| 2020 | 20 | 20 |
| 2019 | 39 | 39 |
| 2018 | 25 | 25 |
| 2017 | 38 | 38 |
| 2016 | 40 | 40 |
| 2015 | 64 | 64 |
| 2014 | 58 | 58 |
| 2013 | 53 | 53 |
| 2012 | 55 | 55 |
| 2011 | 61 | 61 |
| 2010 | 59 | 59 |
| 2009 | 48 | 48 |
| 2008 | 96 | 96 |
| 2007 | 91 | 91 |
| 2006 | 84 | 84 |
| 2005 | 113 | 113 |
| 2004 | 107 | 107 |
| 2003 | 102 | 102 |
| 2002 | 103 | 103 |
| 2001 | 124 | 124 |
| 2000 | 154 | 154 |
| 1999 | 130 | 130 |
| 1998 | 107 | 107 |
| 1997 | 135 | 135 |
| 1996 | 155 | 155 |
| 1995 | 144 | 144 |
| 1994 | 147 | 147 |
| 1993 | 141 | 141 |
| 1992 | 152 | 152 |
| 1991 | 183 | 183 |
| 1990 | 157 | 157 |
| 1989 | 154 | 154 |
| 1988 | 177 | 177 |
| 1987 | 146 | 146 |
| 1986 | 161 | 161 |
| 1985 | 163 | 163 |
| 1984 | 155 | 155 |
| 1983 | 157 | 157 |
| 1982 | 134 | 134 |
| 1981 | 142 | 142 |
| 1980 | 135 | 135 |
| 1979 | 131 | 131 |
| 1978 | 135 | 135 |
| 1977 | 126 | 126 |
| 1976 | 106 | 106 |
| 1975 | 118 | 118 |
| 1974 | 104 | 104 |
| 1973 | 116 | 116 |
| 1972 | 145 | 145 |
| 1971 | 174 | 174 |
| 1970 | 197 | 197 |
| 1969 | 178 | 178 |
| 1968 | 165 | 165 |
| 1967 | 201 | 201 |
| 1966 | 187 | 187 |
| 1965 | 168 | 168 |
| 1964 | 194 | 194 |
| 1963 | 219 | 219 |
| 1962 | 212 | 212 |
| 1961 | 236 | 236 |
| 1960 | 255 | 255 |
| 1959 | 272 | 272 |
| 1958 | 318 | 318 |
| 1957 | 303 | 303 |
| 1956 | 368 | 368 |
| 1955 | 335 | 335 |
| 1954 | 347 | 347 |
| 1953 | 321 | 321 |
| 1952 | 351 | 351 |
| 1951 | 336 | 336 |
| 1950 | 320 | 320 |
| 1949 | 292 | 292 |
| 1948 | 265 | 265 |
| 1947 | 248 | 248 |
| 1946 | 160 | 160 |
| 1945 | 135 | 135 |
| 1944 | 122 | 122 |
| 1943 | 127 | 127 |
| 1942 | 113 | 113 |
| 1941 | 94 | 94 |
| 1940 | 81 | 81 |
| 1939 | 61 | 61 |
| 1938 | 72 | 72 |
| 1937 | 72 | 72 |
| 1936 | 75 | 75 |
| 1935 | 85 | 85 |
| 1934 | 93 | 93 |
| 1933 | 84 | 84 |
| 1932 | 78 | 78 |
| 1931 | 84 | 84 |
| 1930 | 94 | 94 |
| 1929 | 97 | 97 |
| 1928 | 80 | 80 |
| 1927 | 125 | 125 |
| 1926 | 114 | 114 |
| 1925 | 110 | 110 |
| 1924 | 135 | 135 |
| 1923 | 132 | 132 |
| 1922 | 128 | 128 |
| 1921 | 148 | 148 |
| 1920 | 118 | 118 |
| 1919 | 113 | 113 |
| 1918 | 142 | 142 |
| 1917 | 142 | 142 |
| 1916 | 119 | 119 |
| 1915 | 136 | 136 |
| 1914 | 102 | 102 |
| 1913 | 81 | 81 |
| 1912 | 60 | 60 |
| 1911 | 47 | 47 |
| 1910 | 39 | 39 |
| 1909 | 31 | 31 |
| 1908 | 40 | 40 |
| 1907 | 31 | 31 |
| 1906 | 19 | 19 |
| 1905 | 26 | 26 |
| 1904 | 18 | 18 |
| 1903 | 19 | 19 |
| 1902 | 18 | 18 |
| 1901 | 23 | 23 |
| 1900 | 17 | 17 |
| 1899 | 19 | 19 |
| 1898 | 23 | 23 |
| 1897 | 18 | 18 |
| 1896 | 30 | 30 |
| 1895 | 24 | 24 |
| 1894 | 13 | 13 |
| 1893 | 13 | 13 |
| 1892 | 23 | 23 |
| 1891 | 12 | 12 |
| 1890 | 8 | 8 |
| 1889 | 18 | 18 |
| 1888 | 11 | 11 |
| 1887 | 8 | 8 |
| 1885 | 9 | 9 |
| 1884 | 9 | 9 |
| 1883 | 14 | 14 |
| 1882 | 5 | 5 |
Top States for Cathryn (2019)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| TX | 6 | |
| FL | 5 |