# How do you pronounce the name "Caitlin"? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 24, 2014, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-the-name-caitlin/702350 "2014-10-24T14:01:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tabby\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tabby\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabby_Cat)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-the-name-caitlin/702350/1 "2014-10-24T14:01:09Z")
Just a poll. More info later, but I don’t want to poison the poll results right now. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-the-name-caitlin/702350/2 "2014-10-24T14:02:39Z")
**Kate** -lynn ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-the-name-caitlin/702350/3 "2014-10-24T14:06:59Z")
If I’m in Ireland, I know it’s “Kathleen”. If it’s an American girl, she’s probably “Kate-lynn.” ---
**Author:** ![Calatin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Calatin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calatin)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-the-name-caitlin/702350/4 "2014-10-24T14:08:14Z")
The two girls I’ve known by that spelling were called “Kate-lynn.” ---
**Author:** ![yo\_han\_go](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yo_han_go/32/130_2.png) [@yo\_han\_go](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yo_han_go)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-the-name-caitlin/702350/5 "2014-10-24T14:52:31Z")
Not beeing from English speaking country, so not very much Caitlins around. So i’ll go with Kate-lyn based mostly on Hwood and other 'murricas media servers. ---
**Author:** ![Tabby\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tabby\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabby_Cat)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-the-name-caitlin/702350/6 "2014-10-24T16:17:39Z")
Wow. Poll results are overwhelmingly in favor of Kate-lyn here. So the story - the wife and I were thinking of names for the tabbykit and Caitlin was one of the names that came up. We really like Kate-lyn, with the spelling of Caitlin, but found out that the Orish way of pronouncing that name sounds a lot more like Kath-leen, which we’re much less hot about. And so I turn to the dope. 🙂 This is kind of the opposite problem we had with our first choice, Siobhan, in which we attempted to Anglicise it a bit by spelling it Shevonne. Consensus was that that was a terrible idea. But if everyone pronounces Caitlin Kate-lyn, then I think we’ve got a winner! Thanks all. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-the-name-caitlin/702350/7 "2014-10-24T16:24:25Z")
Upon first reading the name I said “Kate-ill-in”, three syllaballs and and all Since I now realize there is no other I in there (like I thought/normally see in that instance) I changed to “kate-lynn” So my poll answer of “smoething else” still stands ---
**Author:** ![Katriona](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/katriona/32/113_2.png) [@Katriona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katriona)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-the-name-caitlin/702350/8 "2014-10-24T16:29:32Z")
Kathleen. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-the-name-caitlin/702350/9 "2014-10-24T16:58:06Z")
I’d pronounce it however the person told me their name was pronounced (honestly, not trying to be a smartass). In the U.S. at least, 9 out of 10 people (or more) will pronounce it kate-lynn by default. Your daughter might have to correct someone’s pronunciation in the random instance, but that’s true of a lot of names and isn’t a big deal at all. I don’t think you have anything to worry about. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-the-name-caitlin/702350/10 "2014-10-24T17:01:32Z")
Throatwarbler Mangrove. Ok, Kate-Linn. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-the-name-caitlin/702350/11 "2014-10-24T17:05:07Z")
My daughter is Caitlin, pronounced kate-linn. I was told by a dedicated student of Celtic languages that the native, traditional pronunciation is closer to “kaysh-leen” than “kath-leen” or “kayt-leen.” ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-the-name-caitlin/702350/12 "2014-10-24T17:05:52Z")
> [@Tabby\_Cat](#): > > Wow. Poll results are overwhelmingly in favor of Kate-lyn here. > > So the story - the wife and I were thinking of names for the tabbykit and Caitlin was one of the names that came up. We really like Kate-lyn, with the spelling of Caitlin, but found out that the Orish way of pronouncing that name sounds a lot more like Kath-leen, which we’re much less hot about. And so I turn to the dope. 🙂 > > This is kind of the opposite problem we had with our first choice, Siobhan, in which we attempted to Anglicise it a bit by spelling it Shevonne. Consensus was that that was a terrible idea. But if everyone pronounces Caitlin Kate-lyn, then I think we’ve got a winner! > > Thanks all. 🙂 How often do you anticipate having to write your cat’s name? Probably not often at all, I suspect. However you pronounce it is how everyone else will hear and pronounce it as well. I don’t think anyone is going to ask you how you spell it. Non issue. ---
**Author:** ![brad\_d](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@brad\_d](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brad_d)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-the-name-caitlin/702350/13 "2014-10-24T17:15:41Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > How often do you anticipate having to write your cat’s name? Probably not often at all, I suspect. However you pronounce it is how everyone else will hear and pronounce it as well. I don’t think anyone is going to ask you how you spell it. Non issue. If I’m reading between the lines of the OP correctly, **tabbykit** is a (soon-to-be-born) human child. If that’s true, I imagine **Tabby\_Cat** and his wife will be writing whatever name they choose quite regularly. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-the-name-caitlin/702350/14 "2014-10-24T18:43:46Z")
Yeah, I thought he was literally talking about a cat until I re-read the OP. Sort of like **Cal\_Meacham** and **MilliCal**. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-the-name-caitlin/702350/15 "2014-10-24T21:03:00Z")
The only Caitlin I know pronounces it Kate-Lyn. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-the-name-caitlin/702350/16 "2014-10-24T21:27:45Z")
I met someone in college who wanted it pronounced “Cat-lynn” but otherwise it’s always been “Kate-lynn” ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-the-name-caitlin/702350/17 "2014-10-24T21:28:38Z")
Here in Ireland it could be Kathleen or Cawtch-Leen if it has the fadas, Cáitlín, and IIRC the American pronunciation has made inroads too. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-the-name-caitlin/702350/18 "2014-10-24T21:44:43Z")
It’s just the Irish spelling for “Kathleen,” which in turn is the Irish version of Katharine. The trouble is, Irish palatal T is not directly equivalent to anything in other dialects of English. In earlier centuries it was mapped onto TH (thus the spelling). For _Cait_, the T is more like English CH, but not quite: even more like T in British English Tuesday (Tyooz-day). In the combination -itlí-, it’s still more like TH to my ear (rather than **An Gadaí** ’s “Cawtch-Leen”), but nothing like the TH in English Kathleen. I always use this pronunciation when I call roll, and I am always corrected to “Kate-lynn.” ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-the-name-caitlin/702350/19 "2014-10-24T23:29:55Z")
I feel like an idiot. I’ve always pronounced Caitlin as “Rory”. Ignorace fought. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-the-name-caitlin/702350/20 "2014-10-24T23:33:07Z")
> [@dracoi](#): > > I met someone in college who wanted it pronounced “Cat-lynn” but otherwise it’s always been “Kate-lynn” It’s a coworker rather than a classmate, but exactly this otherwise. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-the-name-caitlin/702350.md?page=2)