Astin
A diminutive name derived from the Old English word "æsc" meaning "ash tree".
Name Census estimates that about 583 living Americans carry the first name Astin. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 73.7% of registrations being male. The average person named Astin today is around 25 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Astin births was 1988 (31 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Astin. 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
583
~ 1 in 587,915 Americans
Peak year
1988
31 babies that year
Average age
25
years old
2024 SSA rank
#9,028
Tracked since 1981
Gender
Gender distribution for Astin
Astin is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 598 total registrations, 441 (73.7%) were male and 157 (26.3%) were female.
Astin as a male name
- Ranked #9,028 in 2024
- 8 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2013 (27 births)
Astin as a female name
- Ranked #14,565 in 2016
- 6 female births in 2016
- Peak: 1988 (15 births)
Popularity
Astin: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Astin from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 168 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1980s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Astin 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 Astin during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Astins live
Origin
Meaning and history of Astin
The name Astin is believed to have originated from the Old English word "aesten," which means "from the east." It was commonly used as a surname during the Anglo-Saxon period in England, particularly in regions such as East Anglia and Mercia.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Astin dates back to the 11th century, when it appeared in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name was often associated with families or individuals who had migrated from the eastern parts of the country or had ties to the eastern regions.
In the Middle Ages, the name Astin was also occasionally used as a given name, although its usage was relatively rare. One notable figure from this period was Astin de Freville, a French nobleman and crusader who participated in the Third Crusade alongside King Richard the Lionheart in the late 12th century.
During the Renaissance era, the name Astin gained some popularity in certain parts of Europe, particularly in England and France. One notable bearer of the name was Astin Cockaine, an English playwright and poet who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. His works included plays such as "The Obstinate Lady" and "The Tragedy of Ovid."
In the 18th century, Astin Stukeley was a notable English antiquarian and author known for his studies on ancient monuments and religious practices. He was born in 1687 and published several influential works, including "Itinerarium Curiosum" and "Abury, a Temple of the British Druids."
Another historically significant figure with the name Astin was Astin Delafield, an American lawyer and politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from New York in the early 19th century. He was born in 1786 and played a role in the development of the Erie Canal.
While the name Astin has remained relatively uncommon throughout history, it has continued to be used as a given name in various parts of the world, particularly in English-speaking countries. Its connection to the eastern regions and its unique historical roots have made it a distinctive and intriguing choice for parents seeking a name with a sense of tradition and cultural significance.
People
Astin + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Astin 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
Astin: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Astin?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 583 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Astin 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 587,915 US residents.
Is Astin a common name?
We classify Astin as "Very Rare". It ranks above 86% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 598 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Astin most popular?
The single biggest year for Astin was 1988, when 31 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Astin is about 25 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Astin a male name?
Yes, 73.7% of people registered as Astin in the SSA data are male. 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.
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.