Corlyn
A feminine name derived from the French word "corlieu" meaning "sparrow".
Name Census estimates that about 21 living Americans carry the first name Corlyn. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Corlyn today is around 56 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Corlyn births was 1960 (11 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Corlyn. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Corlyn. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
21
~ 1 in 16,321,635 Americans
Peak year
1960
11 babies that year
Average age
56
years old
2007 SSA rank
#18,251
Tracked since 1948
Census
Corlyn in the 2020 Census
The 2020 Census recorded 169 people with the first name Corlyn, which placed it at #42,487 in the published first-name tables. This is a snapshot of people who already had the name at the time of the Census.
The SSA sections elsewhere on this page answer a different question: how often parents gave the name to babies over time. The "people living today" figure on this page is different again: it is a current estimate built from SSA birth records and age-based survival rates, so the two numbers are not expected to match exactly.
2020 Census rank
#42,487
National first-name rank
People counted
169
169 in the published race/origin table
Per 100,000
0.1
People with this name in 2020
Largest reported group
White
72.2% of people with this name
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Corlyn
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Corlyn is White at 72.2%. The next largest groups are Black (17.8%) and Hispanic (4.1%). These figures describe the people who had the name in 2020, not any inherent property of the name itself.
The bar chart below shows how people with the first name Corlyn described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given name, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown so the breakdown is easy to read across every published category. Because the 2020 Census first-name file also includes raw headcounts for each group, Name Census can show those alongside the percentages in the legend and hover tooltip.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A first name does not determine a person's race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the name Corlyn at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White72.2% · 122
- Black or African American17.8% · 30
- Hispanic or Latino4.1% · 7
- Two or more races4.1% · 7
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 3
Popularity
Corlyn: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Corlyn from the 1940s through to the 2000s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 11 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1960s peak, Corlyn remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Corlyn by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Corlyn during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Corlyn
The name Corlyn is a fascinating one, steeped in history and rich cultural significance. Its origins can be traced back to the ancient Celtic languages, particularly the Old Irish "Corlain," which translates to "spear-bright" or "radiant warrior." This name was popular among the Gaelic tribes of Ireland and Scotland during the Middle Ages.
In its earliest iterations, the name was often spelled as "Corlain" or "Corlynn," with slight variations depending on the region. It was predominantly used as a masculine name, bestowed upon young boys who were expected to grow into brave and valiant warriors, upholding the honor and traditions of their clans.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name can be found in the ancient Irish epic, "The Cattle Raid of Cooley," where a warrior named Corlain is mentioned. This epic, dating back to the 8th century, is a testament to the rich literary heritage of the Gaelic world and the significance of names with strong martial connotations.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Corlyn or its variations. In the 11th century, Corlain mac Ruaidhri was a prominent Irish chieftain who played a pivotal role in the battles against the Norse invaders. His bravery and leadership were celebrated in the annals of Irish history.
During the 14th century, a Scottish nobleman named Corlynn of Argyll was known for his unwavering loyalty to Robert the Bruce, the King of Scots. His valor and sacrifices during the Scottish Wars of Independence earned him a place in the chronicles of that era.
In the 16th century, an Irish poet and scholar, Corlain Ó Dálaigh, gained recognition for his exceptional works in the Gaelic tradition. His poetry celebrated the beauty of the Irish language and the rich cultural heritage of his people.
Fast forward to the 20th century, and we find Corlyn Ó Cuilleanáin, an esteemed Irish academic and linguist who dedicated his life to the preservation and promotion of the Irish language. His contributions to the field of Celtic studies were widely recognized and celebrated.
While the name Corlyn has undergone various spelling changes and adaptations over time, its essence remains rooted in the vibrant Celtic cultures that birthed it. From ancient warriors to modern scholars, this name has carried the spirit of strength, resilience, and a deep connection to one's heritage throughout the ages.
People
Corlyn + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Corlyn as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with C
Other first names starting with C with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Corlyn: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Corlyn?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 21 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Corlyn going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 16,321,635 US residents.
Is Corlyn a common name?
We classify Corlyn as "Very Rare". It ranks above 40.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 27 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Corlyn most popular?
The single biggest year for Corlyn was 1960, when 11 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Corlyn is about 56 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
How common was Corlyn in the 2020 Census?
The published 2020 Census first-name tables recorded 169 people with the name Corlyn, or 0.06 per 100,000 residents. That placed it at #42,487 in the national Census ranking for first names.
Why is the Census count different from the living estimate?
Because they measure different things. The Census figure is a count of people who had the name Corlyn in 2020. The living estimate aims to answer a current question instead: how many people with the name are alive today, based on SSA birth records and age-based survival rates. Since one number is a 2020 snapshot and the other is a present-day estimate, they are not expected to be identical.
What does the Census say about the gender split for Corlyn?
In the 2020 Census sex table, Corlyn leans strongly female. 141 people counted with this name were female (86.0%), compared with 23 male bearers (14.0%). The Census view is a snapshot of people living with the name in 2020, while the SSA section above tracks births across time.
What does the Census say about the background of people named Corlyn?
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Corlyn is White at 72.2%. The next largest groups are Black (17.8%) and Hispanic (4.1%). These figures describe the people who had the name in 2020, not any inherent property of the name itself. The percentages in the chart above come from self-reported race and Hispanic-origin responses in the 2020 Census.
Which group reports the name Corlyn most often in the Census?
White is the largest reported group for people named Corlyn in the 2020 Census, accounting for 72.2% (122 people in the published table).
Why can the Census sex total and race total differ slightly?
The Census Bureau published separate 2020 tables for sex and for race/Hispanic origin, and the released figures can differ slightly because of privacy protection in the public files. That is why this page treats the gender section and the race/origin section as two related snapshots instead of forcing them into one identical total.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only includes names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files have no Census demographic snapshot. When that happens, the SSA trend, gender history, and state sections still appear, but the 2020 Census demographic sections are omitted.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Corlyn in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Corlyn a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Corlyn in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Corlyn still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Corlyn in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Corlyn can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
How many people are named Corlyn?
Want to know how many Americans are named Corlyn? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.