What does Catriona mean?
Catriona is the Scottish Gaelic form of Katherine, traditionally “pure.”
What does Elspeth mean?
Elspeth is the Scottish form of Elizabeth, “God is my oath.”
Catriona vs Elspeth
Which is more popular?
Elspeth is more popular than Catriona today: about 14 US babies were given the name Elspeth in 2025, compared with 0 named Catriona.
| Catriona | Elspeth | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Pure | God is my oath |
| Origin | Scottish | Scottish |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | kah-TREE-nah | EL-speth |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1965 | 1914 |
| Peak year | 1998 (32) | 1984 (39) |
| In 2025 | 0 | 14 |
| Trend | Steady | Rising |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Catriona
Elspeth
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Catriona | Elspeth |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 49 | 104 |
| 2010s | 127 | 164 |
| 2000s | 207 | 125 |
| 1990s | 152 | 105 |
| 1980s | 97 | 240 |
| 1970s | 27 | 36 |
| 1960s | 24 | 26 |
| 1950s | 0 | 33 |
| 1940s | 0 | 27 |
| 1930s | 0 | 18 |
| 1920s | 0 | 25 |
| 1910s | 0 | 16 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Catriona or Elspeth more popular?
Elspeth is more popular than Catriona today: about 14 US babies were given the name Elspeth in 2025, compared with 0 named Catriona.
What is the difference between Catriona and Elspeth?
Catriona means Pure (Scottish origin), while Elspeth means God is my oath (Scottish origin).
Which name is older, Catriona or Elspeth?
In US records, Catriona first appears in 1965 and Elspeth in 1914, so Elspeth has the longer recorded history.