Kathleen

Kathleen is the anglicized form of the Gaelic Caitlín which is the Irish equivalent of Catherine. Caitlín is actually pronounced “cotch-leen” in the Irish-Gaelic tongue (so you can see how it got anglicized to Kathleen by the English). The name was brought to the British Isles in the Middle Ages by way of the Norman French as Cateline. From an etymological perspective, the Catherine family of names all derived from the Greek “Aikaterinë” (see Catherine) which translates to “pure one, clear, innocent.” The name Catherine was borne by a 4th century saint who was martyred in Egypt and came to be associated with ideals of courage and purity, qualities that were attractive to the Celts. In Ireland, the Celtic version, Caitlín, proved popular and gave rise to the anglicized version of Kathleen in England. The Irish legend of the Countess of Cathleen was put to pen by William Butler Yeats in 1892. During a terrible famine in Ireland the beautiful and fair-haired young Countess Cathleen offered her soul to the devil in exchange for food for the starving. Upon her death, the devil came to collect his due, but God interceded so Cathleen could go straight to heaven, so impressed was He that she would not only sacrifice her life, but her very salvation, for others. Kathleen has often been used as a pet form for Katherine, but it has also long enjoyed status as an independently given name as well. Kathy, Katie, Kath, Kate and Kat are all possible nicknames for the pretty Kathleen.