Caitlin

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A feminine given name of Gaelic origin often used in English-speaking countries to denote a female individual
2. A personal name commonly bestowed upon girls, derived from an Irish variant spelling of a traditional name
3. A female first name frequently found in Western cultures, rooted in Celtic linguistic traditions

Etymology: Caitlin is essentially the Irish Gaelic form of Catherine, so its story is really the story of Catherine. That name comes from the Greek "Aikaterine," whose origin is uncertain. It is often linked to "katharos," meaning "pure," though that link is debated. The Gaelic spelling "Caitlín" gave English speakers a version that looked and sounded distinctly Irish, while Kathleen became the more familiar anglicized form of the same root. Caitlin therefore sits within a family of related names that all descend from Catherine.

Synonyms: kaitlyn, katelyn, katelin, kaitlin