What does Catriona mean?
Catriona is the Scottish Gaelic form of Katherine, traditionally “pure.”
What does Iona mean?
Iona is the name of a sacred Hebridean island, a cradle of Celtic Christianity.
Catriona vs Iona
Which is more popular?
Iona is more popular than Catriona today: about 65 US babies were given the name Iona in 2025, compared with 0 named Catriona.
| Catriona | Iona | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Pure | Island |
| Origin | Scottish | Scottish |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | kah-TREE-nah | eye-OH-nah |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1965 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 1998 (32) | 1918 (404) |
| In 2025 | 0 | 65 |
| Trend | Steady | Rising |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Catriona
Iona
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Catriona | Iona |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 49 | 376 |
| 2010s | 127 | 543 |
| 2000s | 207 | 305 |
| 1990s | 152 | 126 |
| 1980s | 97 | 139 |
| 1970s | 27 | 198 |
| 1960s | 24 | 290 |
| 1950s | 0 | 610 |
| 1940s | 0 | 887 |
| 1930s | 0 | 1,747 |
| 1920s | 0 | 3,151 |
| 1910s | 0 | 2,362 |
| 1900s | 0 | 838 |
| 1890s | 0 | 455 |
| 1880s | 0 | 224 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Catriona or Iona more popular?
Iona is more popular than Catriona today: about 65 US babies were given the name Iona in 2025, compared with 0 named Catriona.
What is the difference between Catriona and Iona?
Catriona means Pure (Scottish origin), while Iona means Island (Scottish origin).
Which name is older, Catriona or Iona?
In US records, Catriona first appears in 1965 and Iona in 1880, so Iona has the longer recorded history.