Elynn
A feminine name derived from the Old English name Elyn or Ellyn, meaning "bright, shining one".
Name Census estimates that about 352 living Americans carry the first name Elynn. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Elynn today is around 16 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Elynn births was 2010 (49 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Elynn. 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.
People living today
352
~ 1 in 973,734 Americans
Peak year
2010
49 babies that year
Average age
16
years old
2024 SSA rank
#11,354
Tracked since 1947
Census
Elynn in the 2020 Census
The 2020 Census recorded 422 people with the first name Elynn, which placed it at #23,260 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
#23,260
National first-name rank
People counted
422
422 in the published race/origin table
Per 100,000
0.1
People with this name in 2020
Largest reported group
White
66.6% of people with this name
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Elynn
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Elynn is White at 66.6%. The next largest groups are Black (10.2%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (9.7%). 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 Elynn 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 Elynn at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White66.6% · 281
- Black or African American10.2% · 43
- Asian and Pacific Islander9.7% · 41
- Hispanic or Latino9.0% · 38
- Two or more races4.0% · 17
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 2
Popularity
Elynn: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Elynn from the 1940s through to the 2020s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 266 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2010s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Elynn 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 Elynn during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Elynns live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. Ohio, California, Texas recorded the most babies named Elynn, while Texas, California, Ohio recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 5 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Elynn
The name Elynn is a unique and intriguing one, with a rich history that spans several cultures and time periods. Its origins can be traced back to the ancient Celtic language, where it is believed to be a derivative of the word "elyn," which means "elm tree." This connection to nature and the symbolism of strength and resilience associated with the elm tree has likely contributed to the enduring appeal of the name.
Another theory suggests that Elynn may have its roots in the Old English name "Aelfwine," which translates to "elf friend" or "elf companion." This would align with the name's potential ties to the mythical realm of elves and fairies, adding a touch of whimsy and mystique to its meaning.
In the Middle Ages, the name Elynn appeared in several historical records and texts, particularly in regions with strong Celtic and Anglo-Saxon influences. One notable example is the Irish Annals of Ulster, which mentioned an Elynn mac Fergus in the year 1137, suggesting the name's use during that era.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Elynn. One of the earliest recorded instances is Elynn of Kilbride, an Irish nun and abbess who lived in the 7th century and was renowned for her piety and leadership of the Kilbride Monastery.
In the realm of literature, Elynn has been the name of several fictional characters, including Elynn Corbray, a minor character in George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" book series, which was later adapted into the popular TV show "Game of Thrones."
Another notable bearer of the name was Elynn Staton (1925-2011), an American gospel singer and songwriter who was a member of the renowned singing group The Staton Singers. Her powerful vocals and contributions to the genre of gospel music have left a lasting impact.
In the world of sports, Elynn Colon (born 1991) is a Puerto Rican volleyball player who has represented her country in numerous international competitions, including the Olympic Games.
While the name Elynn may not be as common as some other names, its unique and intriguing history, spanning multiple cultures and time periods, has contributed to its enduring appeal and the fascination it holds for many.
People
Elynn + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Elynn as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with E
Other first names starting with E with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Elynn: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Elynn?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 352 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Elynn 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 973,734 US residents.
Is Elynn a common name?
We classify Elynn as "Very Rare". It ranks above 81% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 365 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Elynn most popular?
The single biggest year for Elynn was 2010, when 49 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Elynn is about 16 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
How common was Elynn in the 2020 Census?
The published 2020 Census first-name tables recorded 422 people with the name Elynn, or 0.14 per 100,000 residents. That placed it at #23,260 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 Elynn 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 Elynn?
In the 2020 Census sex table, Elynn leans strongly female. 399 people counted with this name were female (94.8%), compared with 22 male bearers (5.2%). 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 Elynn?
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Elynn is White at 66.6%. The next largest groups are Black (10.2%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (9.7%). 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 Elynn most often in the Census?
White is the largest reported group for people named Elynn in the 2020 Census, accounting for 66.6% (281 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 Elynn in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Elynn a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Elynn 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 Elynn still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Elynn 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 Elynn 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 have the name Elynn?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.