Kathleen
/ˈkæθ.liːn/noun
A feminine given name, an anglicized form of Irish Caitlín.
Did you know?Kathleen is an Anglicized form of Irish Caitlín, itself a Gaelic adaptation of Catherine, whose deepest Greek root is often linked to katharos, “pure.”
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
Aikaterinē
“An early form associated with the name Catherine, later reinterpreted in connection with Greek katharos, “pure.””
Late Antiquity
Greek
Katharós
““Pure, clean, unsoiled.””
Medieval Latin
Latin
Katerina
“A Latinized form of the saint’s name Catherine.”
Middle Irish
Irish
Caitlín
“An Irish feminine name adapted from Catherine.”
19th Century
English
Kathleen
“An English form of the Irish name Caitlín.”
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