Braelin
Braelin is a whimsical contemporary name of unknown origin, possibly coined.
Name Census estimates that about 617 living Americans carry the first name Braelin. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 60.4% of registrations being male. The average person named Braelin today is around 15 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Braelin births was 2009 (42 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Braelin. 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
617
~ 1 in 555,518 Americans
Peak year
2009
42 babies that year
Average age
15
years old
2024 SSA rank
#11,097
Tracked since 1995
Gender
Gender distribution for Braelin
Braelin is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 623 total registrations, 376 (60.4%) were male and 247 (39.6%) were female.
Braelin as a male name
- Ranked #11,097 in 2024
- 6 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2009 (28 births)
Braelin as a female name
- Ranked #13,875 in 2022
- 6 female births in 2022
- Peak: 2008 (20 births)
Popularity
Braelin: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Braelin from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 274 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Braelin remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Braelin 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 Braelin during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Braelins live
Origin
Meaning and history of Braelin
The name Braelin has its origins in the ancient Celtic languages spoken across the British Isles and parts of continental Europe. It is believed to have derived from the Old Irish word "braen," meaning "rain" or "moisture," and the diminutive suffix "-in," indicating smallness or endearment. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to a person born during a rainy season or associated with water in some way.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Braelin can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In an entry dated 1021 AD, a figure named "Braelin mac Maelruanaidh" is mentioned as a chieftain of the Uí Briúin clan in what is now County Roscommon, Ireland. This suggests that the name was in use among the Irish nobility at that time.
During the Middle Ages, the name Braelin appeared in various spellings, such as "Braylin," "Brealin," and "Braelyn," in records from Scotland and England. It is possible that the name travelled with Celtic settlers or was adopted by non-Celtic populations over time.
In the 16th century, a notable figure named Braelin MacDonald (c. 1520-1581) was a Scottish chieftain and warrior who played a role in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. He was known for his loyalty to the House of Stuart and his defense of the Catholic faith during the Scottish Reformation.
Another historical figure bearing the name Braelin was a Welsh bard and poet named Braelin ap Gwilym (c. 1300-1370). His surviving works, written in the traditional Welsh poetic style, provide valuable insights into the culture and society of medieval Wales.
In the 18th century, a French explorer and naturalist named Braelin Delacroix (1725-1799) made significant contributions to the study of plant and animal life in the Caribbean and South America. His detailed journals and illustrations have been invaluable resources for modern scientists.
More recently, Braelin O'Connor (1945-2018) was an Irish actress and playwright known for her work in both contemporary and classical theatre. She was a prominent figure in the Irish arts scene and received numerous accolades, including the Irish Times Theatre Award for Best Actress in 1992.
While the name Braelin has its roots in ancient Celtic cultures, it has been adopted and adapted by various communities over the centuries, reflecting the rich tapestry of cultural exchange and migration across Europe and beyond.
People
Braelin + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Braelin as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with B
Other first names starting with B with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Braelin: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Braelin?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 617 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Braelin 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 555,518 US residents.
Is Braelin a common name?
We classify Braelin as "Very Rare". It ranks above 86.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 623 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Braelin most popular?
The single biggest year for Braelin was 2009, when 42 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Braelin is about 15 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Braelin a male name?
Yes, 60.4% of people registered as Braelin 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.