UK girl's name
Caitrin
A feminine name of Gaelic origin meaning "pure" or "perpetual bloom".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 1996. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Caitrin is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Caitrin popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 1996 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3795, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 3 births.
This profile covers 3 England and Wales registrations across 1 recorded years from 1996 to 1996. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
Caitrin is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 6 living people in the UK are called Caitrin. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 1997 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Caitrin ranked #3795 for girls in England and Wales in 1996, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1996, when 3 girls were registered as Caitrin.
- • Caitrin ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #629 in 2000.
- • About 6 living people in the UK are estimated to have Caitrin as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3795
1996
Births in 1996
3
Latest year
Peak year
1996
3 births
Estimated living
6
2026
Meaning
What does Caitrin mean?
Caitrin is a feminine given name with origins dating back to ancient Ireland. It is derived from the Irish Gaelic word "cáit," meaning "pure." The name is thought to have its roots in the 5th century CE, when it first emerged as a variant of the more common Irish name Caitlín.
In the 8th century CE, the name Caitrin appeared in several ancient Irish texts and manuscripts, including the Annals of Ulster and the Book of Leinster. These early mentions suggest that the name was in use among the Irish nobility and ruling classes during the medieval period.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Caitrin was Caitrin Ní Dhomhnaill, a 12th-century Irish noblewoman and the wife of the King of Tír Chonaill. She was a prominent figure in the political and cultural life of her time and was known for her patronage of the arts and literature.
In the 14th century, Caitrin Mac Murchadha, a renowned Irish poet and scholar, gained fame for her works celebrating the beauty of the Irish language and landscape. She was a significant figure in the preservation of Irish cultural traditions and is considered one of the most influential poets of the Middle Ages.
During the 16th century, Caitrin Dubh Ní Bhriain, also known as the "Black Caitrin," was a celebrated Irish chieftain and military leader. She led her clan in battles against English forces during the Tudor conquest of Ireland and is remembered for her bravery and fierce resistance.
Another notable figure was Caitrin Ní Chuilleanáin, a 17th-century Irish noblewoman and patron of the arts. She was renowned for her support of poets and musicians, and her court was a center of Irish cultural life during a period of great upheaval and conflict.
In the 19th century, Caitrin Ní Uallacháin was a prominent Irish language scholar and advocate for the preservation of the Irish language and culture. She played a significant role in the Gaelic revival movement and was instrumental in establishing Irish language schools and promoting the use of Irish in education.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Decades
Caitrin by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Caitrin was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | #3795 | 3 | 1 |
Geography
Where Caitrin is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Caitrin. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Caitrin ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #629 in 2000.
Across the UK
Caitrin in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#629 in 2000
1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered
Related
Names similar to Caitrin
- Chloe 111,265
- Charlotte 88,733
- Caitlin 28,931
- Courtney 23,162
- Chelsea 13,049
- Clara 9,435
- Connie 8,402
- Catherine 8,376
- Charlie 7,964
- Cerys 7,506
- Casey 7,018
- Cara 6,375
FAQ
Caitrin: questions and answers
How popular is the name Caitrin in the UK right now?
In 1996, Caitrin was ranked #3795 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Caitrin most popular?
The peak year on record was 1996, with 3 babies registered as Caitrin in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Caitrin?
A feminine name of Gaelic origin meaning "pure" or "perpetual bloom".
How many people are called Caitrin in the UK?
A total of 3 babies have been registered as Caitrin across the 1 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3 more in Scotland.
Where is Caitrin most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Caitrin ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #629 in 2000. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.