Girls' name · since 1946

Kathlen

Since 1946, U.S. Social Security records show 85 babies named Kathlen, peaking in 1951. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.

85
total births
1946–1999
years on record
1950s
peak decade
47%
born in that decade

Kathlen sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 85 recorded since 1946.

Social Security Administration records show Kathlen recorded 85 times among girls since 1946, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls names, peaking in the 1950s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1946 to 1999.

  • 85 total births
  • 1946–1999 years on record
  • 1950s peak decade
  • 47% born in that decade

Data updated Jul 2026

The verdict

85 girls have been named Kathlen since 1946, peaking in the 1950s, last recorded in 1999.

85
total births
1946–1999
years on record
1950s
peak decade
47%
born in that decade
1950s
Peak decade

47% of everyone ever named Kathlen was born in this single decade.

1951
Single peak year

10 babies were named Kathlen in 1951 - its busiest year on record.

Kathlen's usage pattern, beyond the headline number

Kathlen splits its recorded history at 1953: 47% of all births land in the more recent half, 53% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1946 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1951 peak of 10 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.

Kathlen at a glance

Last recorded 1999

Total births

85

Since 1946

54 years of records

Peak year

1951

10 births that year

Strongest decade: 1950s

Current rank

Unranked

Outside the modern top-1,000

As of 1999

Active since

1946

Recorded for 54 years

Last year on file: 1999

Kathlen popularity over time

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1946–1999

Last recorded 1999
Peak year (1951)
10
Annual births at peak, across 54 years of records
4681012 19461948195019521954196019941999 5

Kathlen by decade

Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance

1950s was Kathlen's strongest decade.

40 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 47% of all-time use.

Kathlen births by decade

Total births in each ten-year window

births

What this shows Peak: 1950s at 40 births (47% of all-time use).

Source U.S. Social Security Administration · Baby Names As of July 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Kathlen? ▼
Kathlen has been given to 85 babies in the U.S. since 1946, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 1999. 10 babies were born in 1951, its single highest year.
When was Kathlen most popular? ▼
Kathlen was most popular in the 1950s decade with 40 total births. The single peak year was 1951.
How long has the name Kathlen been used? ▼
Kathlen has been recorded in Social Security data since 1946, spanning 54 years of data through 1999.
What names are similar to Kathlen? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Kathleen, Katherine, Kathryn, Kathy, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.

What to do with Kathlen's data

  • Kathlen's decade-level peak was the 1950s (40 total births); usage has since declined to 10 in the 1990s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
  • 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 Kathlen

Nearby Names Like Kathlen

Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Kathlen

Kathleen Girl
#1099 713,645 births
Katherine Girl
#175 650,926 births
Kathryn Girl
#714 455,423 births
Kathy Girl
#2699 334,131 births
Katie Girl
#576 241,285 births

Compare Kathlen side by side: Kathlen vs Kathleen Kathlen vs Katherine Kathlen vs Kathryn

Or pick any two names to compare →

Related Names

Names with a similar number of total births

Floride
85 births · Peak 1916
Jadwiga
85 births · Peak 1917
Valia
85 births · Peak 1920
Halcyon
85 births · Peak 1915
Toshi
85 births · Peak 1921
Irving
85 births · Peak 1928
Nigel
85 births · Peak 1977
Vernel
85 births · Peak 1927

Data Sources

Data as of July 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, 1946–1999 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).

State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).

Cite this page

NameAlmanac Editorial. "Kathlen: Baby Name Since 1946 - 85 Births, Peak 1951." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/kathlen. 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 Kathlen 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 July 2026.