Aelin
A female name of mysterious origin, possibly derived from ancient Gaelic words meaning "sun" or "radiant".
Name Census estimates that about 302 living Americans carry the first name Aelin. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Aelin today is around 4 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Aelin births was 2024 (79 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Aelin. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Aelin with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
302
~ 1 in 1,134,948 Americans
Peak year
2024
79 babies that year
Average age
4
years old
2024 SSA rank
#2,320
Tracked since 2016
Popularity
Aelin: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Aelin from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 243 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Aelin 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 Aelin during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Aelins live
Origin
Meaning and history of Aelin
The name Aelin has its origins in the ancient Gaelic and Irish languages, tracing back to the early medieval period. It is derived from the Old Irish word "aelén," meaning "fair" or "bright." The name was particularly popular among the Celtic populations of Ireland, Scotland, and parts of Britain during the 5th to 10th centuries.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Aelin can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a historical chronicle documenting events in medieval Ireland. In the year 839, an entry mentions an individual named "Aelin mac Crundmáel," suggesting the name's usage at that time.
In Irish mythology, Aelin appears as the name of a minor deity associated with the sun and light. The name held symbolic significance, reflecting the Celtic reverence for natural elements and celestial bodies.
As the centuries passed, the name Aelin continued to be used across various regions of the British Isles. Notable historical figures bearing this name include Aelin of Leinster, an Irish princess who lived in the 11th century, and Aelin the Bard, a renowned Welsh poet and storyteller from the 13th century.
During the Middle Ages, the name Aelin also found its way into literary works. In the Arthurian legends, Aelin was the name of a noble knight who accompanied King Arthur on his quests. This literary reference further contributed to the name's popularity and recognition.
In more recent times, Aelin has been the name of several notable individuals. Aelin Rowley (1802-1878) was a British botanist and naturalist known for her extensive work on plant taxonomy. Aelin Greig (1919-2003) was a Scottish painter and sculptor who gained recognition for her abstract expressionist works.
While the name Aelin has ancient roots and a rich history, it has maintained a relatively low popularity in modern times. Its enduring presence, however, serves as a reminder of the cultural legacy and linguistic heritage of the Celtic peoples.
People
Aelin + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Aelin as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with A
Other first names starting with A with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Aelin: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Aelin?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 302 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Aelin 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 1,134,948 US residents.
Is Aelin a common name?
We classify Aelin as "Very Rare". It ranks above 79.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 304 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Aelin most popular?
The single biggest year for Aelin was 2024, when 79 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Aelin is about 4 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
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 Aelin in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Aelin a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Aelin 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 Aelin still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Aelin 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 Aelin 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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are called Aelin?
You can see how many people share the name Aelin on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.