UK girl's name
Catelyn
A feminine name derived from the Greek Aithaleia, meaning "pure, bright, fair one".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2019. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Catelyn is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Catelyn popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2019 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5591, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2005, with 9 births.
This profile covers 74 England and Wales registrations across 19 recorded years from 2000 to 2019. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, 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.
The latest count is about 33% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 80 living people in the UK are called Catelyn. 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 2020 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Catelyn ranked #5591 for girls in England and Wales in 2019, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2005, when 9 girls were registered as Catelyn.
- • Catelyn ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #372 in 2004.
- • About 80 living people in the UK are estimated to have Catelyn as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5591
2019
Births in 2019
3
Latest year
Peak year
2005
9 births
Estimated living
80
2026
Meaning
What does Catelyn mean?
The name Catelyn has its origins in the ancient Greek language. It is a feminine form of the name Catelius, which was derived from the Greek word "katharos," meaning "pure" or "clear." The name's earliest known use dates back to the 5th century BCE in ancient Greece.
Catelyn was a popular name among the upper classes of Greek society, as it was seen as a name that conveyed virtue and nobility. The name was often given to daughters of influential families, and it was associated with grace, purity, and refinement.
In the 1st century CE, the name Catelyn appeared in several ancient texts and historical records. One notable example is a reference to a woman named Catelyn in the writings of the Greek historian Plutarch, who lived from around 46 CE to 120 CE.
Over the centuries, the name Catelyn has been borne by several notable historical figures. One of the earliest recorded examples is Catelyn of Alexandria, a Christian martyr who lived in the 3rd century CE. She was renowned for her unwavering faith and was eventually executed for refusing to renounce her beliefs.
In the Middle Ages, Catelyn was a relatively common name in various parts of Europe, particularly in regions influenced by Greek culture and language. One prominent bearer of the name was Catelyn of Siena, an Italian philosopher and theologian who lived from 1347 to 1380. She was known for her writings on mysticism and her advocacy for peace and unity within the Church.
During the Renaissance period, Catelyn was a name favored by the aristocracy and upper classes. One notable example is Catelyn Cornaro, a Venetian noblewoman who lived from 1454 to 1510. She was the last Queen of Cyprus and played a significant role in the island's political and cultural life.
In more recent history, Catelyn has been the name of several influential women, including Catelyn Sedgwick, an American author and educator who lived from 1789 to 1867. She was a prominent figure in the early American literary scene and was known for her works on domestic life and moral instruction.
Another notable bearer of the name was Catelyn Graham, a British suffragette and women's rights activist who lived from 1858 to 1932. She was a tireless campaigner for women's suffrage and played a crucial role in the movement that eventually secured voting rights for women in the United Kingdom.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Catelyn over time
The chart below shows babies named Catelyn registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2000 to 2019. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Catelyn, the clearest high point is 2005. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2019, compared with 9 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Catelyn by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Catelyn 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #5160 | 36 | 10 |
| 2000s | #4043 | 38 | 9 |
Geography
Where Catelyn is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Catelyn. 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.
Catelyn ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #372 in 2004.
Across the UK
Catelyn in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#629 in 2000
1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#372 in 2004
1 years of NISRA records, 3 total registered
Related
Names similar to Catelyn
- 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
Catelyn: questions and answers
How popular is the name Catelyn in the UK right now?
In 2019, Catelyn was ranked #5591 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Catelyn most popular?
The peak year on record was 2005, with 9 babies registered as Catelyn in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Catelyn?
A feminine name derived from the Greek Aithaleia, meaning "pure, bright, fair one".
How many people are called Catelyn in the UK?
A total of 74 babies have been registered as Catelyn across the 19 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3 more in Scotland and 3 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Catelyn most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Catelyn ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #372 in 2004. 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.