Kathleen is a distinctive choice, ranked #1036 in 2024. Your child is likely to be the only Kathleen in their class.
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UK Rank 2024
#1036
US Rank #985
About the Name Kathleen
Kathleen has seen a notable decline in recent years, dropping 229 places in five years. It was most popular in 1996 at #227 — parents choosing it today are making a deliberately counter-trend decision. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996.
Kathleen is distinctive enough that your child will likely be the only one in both their class and their school — standing out on every register.
In the US it ranks even higher at #985, where it enjoys a particularly strong following.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Kathleen
Unlikely. With around 33 UK babies named Kathleen per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Kathleen in her class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
Kathleen has been declining in UK popularity, dropping 229 places in the last five years. Its peak was #227 in 1996. Choosing it now means she is likely to be among the last of her generation with this name.
Kathleen is more popular in the US (#985) than in the UK (#1036). Names with strong rankings in both countries tend to have broad cross-cultural appeal, working well for international families or those with ties to both nations.
Notable people named Kathleen include: Kathleen Folbigg — Kathleen Megan Folbigg is an Australian woman who was wrongfully convicted in 2003 of murdering her four infant children.; Kathleen Rubins — Kathleen Hallisey Rubins is an American microbiologist, the inaugural director of the Trivedi Institute for Space and Global Biomedicine at the University of...; Kathleen Stock — Kathleen Mary Linn Stock is a British philosopher and writer..
Kathleen does not appear in the US top 1,000 baby names, making it a distinctively British choice — your child is unlikely to encounter American Kathleens in the wild.
33
UK babies named Kathleen (2024)
< 1
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
~0.0
In a school of 600
↓ 229 places
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Kathleen
Likely around 1 other Kathleen in the class
UK Popularity (1996–2024)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
US Popularity (2021–2021)
Rank · SSA official data
✨ Similar names to Kathleen
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
Kathleen Megan Folbigg is an Australian woman who was wrongfully convicted in 2003 of murdering her four infant children. She was pardoned in 2023 after 20 years in jail following a long campaign for justice by her supporters, and had her convictions overturned on appeal a few months later.
Kathleen Hallisey Rubins is an American microbiologist, the inaugural director of the Trivedi Institute for Space and Global Biomedicine at the University of Pittsburgh, and retired NASA astronaut. She became the 60th woman to fly in space when she launched on a Russian Soyuz spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS) on July 7, 2016.
Kathleen Mildred Burk is Professor Emerita of Modern and Contemporary History at University College London. Her field of research is international history, especially politics, diplomacy and finance.
Kathleen Anne Buhle, formerly known as Kathleen Biden, is an American writer and non-profit executive. She is the founder and CEO of the non-profit organization The House at 1229.
Kathleen Flinn is an American writer, journalist, chef and TV producer. She is best known for the 2007 New York Times bestseller, The Sharper Your Knife, the Less You Cry.