Kathleen

Kathleen is the Anglicized form of the Irish name Caitlín, itself derived from the Old French Cateline, which passed into medieval Ireland from the Latin Katerina and ultimately the Greek Aikaterine, a name of debated but ancient origin possibly connected to the Greek word katharos, meaning pure. The name was borne famously by Saint Catherine of Alexandria, whose veneration spread the name widely across Europe during the Middle Ages. Kathleen became strongly associated with Irish identity and culture, appearing as a personification of Ireland in the poetic tradition known as aisling. Related forms include Catherine, Katherine, Katelyn, and the Irish Caitlín.