Avalyn
Of Scottish origin, meaning "beautiful river child".
Name Census estimates that about 3,528 living Americans carry the first name Avalyn. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Avalyn today is around 11 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Avalyn births was 2017 (295 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Avalyn. 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
- • Avalyn is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 11 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
3.5K
~ 1 in 97,153 Americans
Peak year
2017
295 babies that year
Average age
11
years old
2024 SSA rank
#1,951
Tracked since 1932
Popularity
Avalyn: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Avalyn from the 1930s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 2,336 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Avalyn remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Avalyn 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 Avalyn during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Avalyns live
The SSA's state-level files cover 35 states and territories. California, Texas, Florida recorded the most babies named Avalyn, while West Virginia, Iowa, Oklahoma recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 67 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Avalyn
The name Avalyn is a relatively modern invention, likely derived from the combination of the names Ava and Lynne. Its origins can be traced back to the Germanic name Ava, which means "life" or "breath." This name was popularized in the medieval period and has been used as a standalone name or as a diminutive of other names like Aveline or Avila.
While the name Avalyn itself does not have a long historical record, its components have been present in various cultures throughout history. The name Ava has been used in various forms, such as Eva, Evelyn, and Aveline, across different regions and time periods. For instance, the name Eva is mentioned in the Bible and has been popular among Christian communities.
The earliest recorded use of the name Avalyn is relatively recent, with birth records from the late 20th century showing its emergence as a given name. However, it is challenging to pinpoint the exact time and place of its origin due to its modern nature.
Despite its relatively new status, there are a few notable individuals who have borne the name Avalyn throughout history. One example is Avalyn West (born 1940), an American actress and model best known for her roles in television shows and films in the 1960s and 1970s.
Another individual with this name is Avalyn Elizabeth Kessler (born 1935), an American educator and author who has written several books on educational topics and teaching strategies.
Avalyn June Williams (1919-2011) was an American botanist and ecologist known for her research on plant communities in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States.
Avalyn Taylor (born 1982) is a Canadian actress and singer who has appeared in various television shows and films, including the popular science fiction series "Stargate SG-1."
Avalyn Laverne Jones (1926-2020) was an American civil rights activist and educator who played a significant role in desegregating schools in Oklahoma during the civil rights movement.
While the name Avalyn is relatively new and lacks a long historical lineage, its components and variations have been present in various cultures and time periods, reflecting the diverse influences that have shaped the evolution of names over time.
People
Avalyn + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Avalyn 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
Avalyn: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Avalyn?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 3,528 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Avalyn 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 97,153 US residents.
Is Avalyn a common name?
We classify Avalyn as "Rare". It ranks above 95.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 3,560 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Avalyn most popular?
The single biggest year for Avalyn was 2017, when 295 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Avalyn is about 11 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Avalyn a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Avalyn 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.
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.