Total births
361
Girls' name · since 1923
Cathlyn
Since 1923, U.S. Social Security records show 361 babies named Cathlyn, peaking in 1953. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #8490
- among girls today
- 361
- born since 1923
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 52%
- more common than other girls
361 babies have been named Cathlyn since 1923, making it today's #8490 girls' name.
Cathlyn has 361 recorded births among girls since 1923, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #8490 as of the latest data, more common than 52% of girls, busiest in the 1950s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1923 to 2024.
- #8490 among girls today
- 361 born since 1923
- 1950s peak decade
- 52% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Cathlyn is currently the #8490 girls' name in America, more common than 52% of girls - 361 born since 1923, peaking in the 1950s.
- #8490
- among girls today
- 361
- born since 1923
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 52%
- more common than other girls
Cathlyn vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#8490
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 52% of names given to girls today.
1950s
Peak decade
29% of everyone ever named Cathlyn was born in this single decade.
1953
Single peak year
18 babies were named Cathlyn in 1953 - its busiest year on record.
How Cathlyn compares
361 49th percentile among 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Cathlyn's all-time total is 5% below the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Cathlyn | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 361 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 18 | 48 | 19,840 |
Cathlyn's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Cathlyn's SSA record in two at 1971 and the more recent half accounts for 43% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 57%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1923, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1953 peak of 18, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Cathlyn at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1953
Current rank
#8,490
Active since
1923
Cathlyn popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1923–2024
- Peak year (1953)
- 18
- Annual births at peak, across 102 years of records
Cathlyn by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1950s was Cathlyn's strongest decade.
105 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 29% of all-time use.
Cathlyn births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1920s 5
1920s
5 births
- 1940s
1940s
52 births
- 1950s
1950s
105 births
- 1960s
1960s
44 births
- 1970s 27
1970s
27 births
- 1980s 22
1980s
22 births
- 1990s
1990s
52 births
- 2000s 37
2000s
37 births
- 2010s 5
2010s
5 births
- 2020s 12
2020s
12 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 105 births (29% of all-time use).
Cathlyn by state
Where Cathlyn concentrates geographically, total births since 1923
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 5 | 1.4% |
Texas share of Cathlyn's total US births 1.4%
5 of 361 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Cathlyn? ▼
361 babies have been named Cathlyn since 1923. It currently ranks #8490 among girls. The peak year was 1953 with 18 births.
When was Cathlyn most popular? ▼
Cathlyn was most popular in the 1950s decade with 105 total births. The single peak year was 1953.
Where is Cathlyn most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Cathlyn are Texas (5 births).
How long has the name Cathlyn been used? ▼
Records for Cathlyn go back to 1923, giving 102 years of history through 2024.
What names are similar to Cathlyn? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Catherine, Cathy, Catalina, Cathleen, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Cathlyn's data
- Cathlyn's decade-level peak was the 1950s (105 total births); usage has since declined to 12 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Cathlyns (5 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Cathlyn
Nearby Names Like Cathlyn
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Cathlyn
Catherine Girl
#322 667,789 births
Cathy Girl
#5993 170,303 births
Catalina Girl
#128 33,009 births
Cathleen Girl
#8463 29,923 births
Cathryn Girl
#6650 16,332 births
Compare Cathlyn side by side: Cathlyn vs Catherine Cathlyn vs Cathy Cathlyn vs Catalina
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Cathlyn
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1923–2024 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Cathlyn: #8490 Girls' Name - 361 Births, Peak 1953." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/cathlyn. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Cathlyn draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.