Caitlyn
/K-EY-T-L-IH-N/
Pure, a modern spelling of the Irish Caitlin, which descends through Greek katharos meaning pure or clear. Carried from Ireland into wide English use, the name keeps at its core the idea of clean, unclouded clarity, an old virtue dressed in a freshly respelled, contemporary feminine form.
Get Caitlyn's full report — patron saint, feast day & a portrait — freeQuick — what every Christian parent asks about Caitlyn:
How well does Caitlyn fit your family?
This page tells you what Caitlyn means. The app tells you whether it's right for your baby — scored against your family & your heritage, and your baby's birth details.
Unlock Caitlyn's score — free
Six signals — scored for your family & heritage, not in the abstract:
Meaning & origin
Yes — Caitlyn is a Christian girl name of English origin, meaning “Pure, a modern spelling of the Irish Caitlin, which descends through Greek katharos meaning pure or clear. Carried from Ireland into wide English use, the name keeps at its core the idea of clean, unclouded clarity, an old virtue dressed in a freshly respelled, contemporary feminine form.”.
Caitlyn is a girl's name of English origin, traditionally used in Christian families. The name means "Pure, a modern spelling of the Irish Caitlin, which descends through Greek katharos meaning pure or clear. Carried from Ireland into wide English use, the name keeps at its core the idea of clean, unclouded clarity, an old virtue dressed in a freshly respelled, contemporary feminine form." and belongs to the Peace cluster — names meaning calm, serenity, and inner stillness.
Common among British, American, European families, Caitlyn carries cultural weight that goes beyond its dictionary definition — it's a name with a story and a community.
The patron saint & feast day behind Caitlyn
Many Christian names carry a patron saint and a feast day (name day) — a tradition of choosing a name for the saint a child is born near, or one the family holds dear. Caitlyn lives in this tradition of meaning and heritage.
NameRoot connects the dots. See Caitlyn's patron saint, its feast day, and whether it aligns with your baby's birth — alongside its full family score.
See Caitlyn's saint & feast day →What does Caitlyn's numerology say?
Numerology assigns each name a single-digit destiny number by summing its letter values. Different schools use different mappings — NameRoot computes both so you can see how Caitlyn resonates in either tradition.
Caitlyn's destiny number is 3 — but a number only matters in context. The app matches it to your family's own numbers for a real compatibility read. See Caitlyn's full reading →
Does Caitlyn go with your family's names?
Caitlyn breaks into 6 sounds: /K-EY-T-L-IH-N/. The real test isn't how it sounds alone — it's how it sounds beside the names already in your family: yours, your partner's, and any brothers or sisters. NameRoot scores that harmony, so Caitlyn sits naturally next to a Mum and Dad like Michael & Anna, or a big sister named Gianna — no awkward clashes, no two names that blur together. Hear Caitlyn beside your family's names →
Nicknames
Common affectionate forms of Caitlyn — useful for everyday family conversation, early childhood, or as standalone given names themselves.
Names similar to Caitlyn
If Caitlyn resonates with you, these names live in the same world — drawn from the same tradition, sharing the same meaning, or echoing a similar sound.
From the same tradition
Other Christian girl names, common in British families
Sharing the same meaning
Other Christian girl names from the Peace cluster
Names that sound similar
Christian girl names that open with the same syllables as Caitlyn
Explore more names
Keep exploring names like Caitlyn — by tradition, by meaning, or by first letter.
Common questions about Caitlyn
What does the name Caitlyn mean?
Caitlyn means "Pure, a modern spelling of the Irish Caitlin, which descends through Greek katharos meaning pure or clear. Carried from Ireland into wide English use, the name keeps at its core the idea of clean, unclouded clarity, an old virtue dressed in a freshly respelled, contemporary feminine form.." It is a girl name of English origin, traditionally used in Christian families.
Is Caitlyn a boy or girl name?
Caitlyn is most commonly used as a girl name.
What is the origin of the name Caitlyn?
Caitlyn is of English origin, used in Christian tradition, commonly among British, American, European families.
Is Caitlyn a Christian name?
Yes. Caitlyn is a girl name traditionally used in Christian families, of English origin.
What does Caitlyn mean in English?
Caitlyn originates from English, where it means "Pure, a modern spelling of the Irish Caitlin, which descends through Greek katharos meaning pure or clear. Carried from Ireland into wide English use, the name keeps at its core the idea of clean, unclouded clarity, an old virtue dressed in a freshly respelled, contemporary feminine form.."
What are common nicknames for Caitlyn?
Common short forms of Caitlyn include Caiti, Cait.
What is the numerology of Caitlyn?
Caitlyn has a Pythagorean destiny number of 3 — creativity and joyful expression.
See how Caitlyn scores for your family
NameRoot is the only baby-name app that scores every name across 6 signals against your specific family context. Download free — Caitlyn is waiting.
Get NameRoot — free