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I'll confess myself as biased on the name Kathleen. I have an absolutely horrible connection to a Kathleen. She was really cruel to me and one of my sisters. The name Kathleen is a great classic, but I would use the spelling Cathleen, just based on that association. However, I prefer Catherine over Cathleen.

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Kathlyn is okay, but I can only see it as a modern variation of Caitlin. I'd never heard of it until now, though.

Kathleen is nice. I find it somewhat dated but it sure beats Caitlin at the moment. It could definitely make a comeback. I haven't known many Kathleens at all (about a handful). The oldest is about 60, the youngest is 18.

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Between Kathleen and Cathleen, I prefer Kathleen. Cathleen just looks wrong to me even though I know it's not. Overall, I prefer Katherine. The sound of Kathlyn / Cathlyn doesn't appeal much.

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I really like it, and it's better than Caitlin, etc. Kathleen and Cathleen are the only spellings I like. It's a name I wouldn't mind seeing more often. As much as I like Catherine and Katherine, it's certainly a "fresh" alternative.

It does seem dated to me because it is a common older women where I live. I much prefer Catherine or Katherine which is timeless to me.

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Of all the Kathleen spelling I prefer Caitlín or Kathleen.

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I can see it making a come-back definitely because of the popularity of Katelyn, etc.

I prefer Kathleen, and I prefer it with a K. K/Cathlyn doesn't interest me at all, and once I knew a Catheline who pronounced it cath-uh-leen; I called her Cathy in sheer self-defence.

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I was at school with a Kathleen who was known as Kathy: good name for a good person. I don't think it's dated and I'd love to see it used.

Kathleen sounds rather dated to me. No doubt it'll come back someday but I don't know when. I guess Cathleen is better. It's rare to see K names spelled with Cs and it would be rather refreshing.

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I hate both Kathlyn and Cathlyn. I'm sick of the whole-lyn craze.

I love Kathleen. It's nice, understated, and pretty in an unassuming, subtle way. I know several people named Kathleen, actually.

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I love Catherine (hey, I'm biased), but it doesn't diminish my love for Kathleen. Don't much care for the Cathleen spelling.

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I really like Kathlyn, too. It was the name of a stage and silent movie actress. Warren Beatty and Annette Bening have a daughter named Kathlyn Elizabeth.

I like Kathleen. It doesn't seem 'classic' to me, but I don't think it's dated either. It can make a comeback, I think, but I think most people have kind of forgotten about it. I know one person named Kathleen. She goes by Kathleen and sometimes Kathy.
I don't really think it's similar enough to Katherine/ Catherine etc to compare them, because they give off a completely different vibe to me. If I had to use one, I would probably use Kathleen because it's less common, but Katherine / Catherine etc. is 'prettier'. I only like Kathleen, ot Cathleen. I think Cathleen looks odd...
Kathlyn looks very strange, but it's not any worse than other changed Kate names.

I'm not fond of many -een names. They do seem frumpy and dour in a flat-footed sort of 1970's way. But, old stuff is cool again, so maybe the -een names will return! It does seem to have a kind of hipster-gloss to it. Reminds me of a plaid-upholstered couch in your grandma's basement rec room.

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I like Kathleen over Kathlyn, though that name is interesting - I've never heard of it either!