Catriona is a feminine given name of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic word 'Caitríona', which is a feminine form of Caitrinn meaning 'pure'. It gained prominence through Sir Walter Scott's novel 'The Bride of Lammermoor' published in 1819, in which the heroine's name was Catrine or Catrina. The name Catriona can also be spelled as Kateryn, Katherine, Kathleen, Katrina, Catherine, Caitriona, and Caitlin among others. It is more commonly used in Scotland than in other parts of the world but has gained some popularity internationally due to its unique sound and Scottish heritage.
The name Catriona experienced significant fluctuations in popularity over the years, with a notable spike in recent times. From 1965 to around 1984, the number of annual births was relatively low and steady, ranging from 5 to 15. However, beginning in 1985, there was a consistent increase in the usage of the name, reaching its peak in 2002 with 32 births. After 2007, the popularity of Catriona declined once again, but it has shown signs of resurgence since 2017, with the number of births ranging from 9 to 21 annually until the most recent data from 2022, which recorded 9 births. In total, there have been 677 babies named Catriona since 1965.