Burlyn
A name of uncertain origin, potentially derived from Old English elements.
Name Census estimates that about 1 living Americans carry the first name Burlyn. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Burlyn today is around 87 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Burlyn births was 1916 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Burlyn. 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
- • The typical person named Burlyn is about 87 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Burlyns were born before 1949.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Burlyn. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
1
~ 1 in 342,754,338 Americans
Peak year
1916
6 babies that year
Average age
87
years old
1933 SSA rank
#3,715
Tracked since 1916
Popularity
Burlyn: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Burlyn from the 1910s through to the 1930s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1910s, with 6 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
Burlyn 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 Burlyn during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Burlyn
The name Burlyn finds its origins in the ancient Celtic language of Brittonic, spoken by the Britons of what is now Great Britain and parts of modern-day France. It is derived from the Proto-Celtic words "burg" meaning "fortress" or "stronghold" and "lyn" meaning "lake" or "pool." The combination of these two elements suggests that the name was initially used to refer to a fortified settlement near a body of water, perhaps a lakeside town or a castle by a lake.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Burlyn can be traced back to a 6th-century Brittonic chieftain known as Burlyn ap Gwydion, who ruled over a small kingdom in what is now southern Wales. According to local folklore, Burlyn was renowned for his bravery and military prowess, having defended his lands from numerous Saxon invasions.
In the 9th century, a monk named Burlyn of Lindisfarne is mentioned in the Venerable Bede's "Ecclesiastical History of the English People." Burlyn was part of the monastic community on the island of Lindisfarne, which was a prominent center of learning and religious life during the Anglo-Saxon period.
During the Norman conquest of England in the 11th century, a Norman knight named Burlyn de Montfort is recorded as having fought alongside William the Conqueror at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. He was later granted lands in Warwickshire as a reward for his service.
In the 13th century, a Welsh poet named Burlyn ap Gwilym gained renown for his love poetry and intricate verse forms. His works were widely celebrated throughout the Welsh kingdoms and influenced many later poets in the region.
Another notable figure with the name Burlyn was Burlyn MacLeod, a Scottish Highland clan chief who lived in the 16th century. He played a pivotal role in the clan feuds and battles of the Scottish Highlands during that turbulent period.
While the name Burlyn has largely fallen out of common usage in modern times, its rich historical roots and associations with fortitude, poetry, and loyalty to one's homeland have left an enduring legacy. The name serves as a reminder of the diverse cultural influences that have shaped the linguistic landscape of the British Isles and beyond.
People
Burlyn + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Burlyn 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
Burlyn: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Burlyn?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Burlyn 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 342,754,338 US residents.
Is Burlyn a common name?
We classify Burlyn as "Very Rare". It ranks above 3.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 11 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Burlyn most popular?
The single biggest year for Burlyn was 1916, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Burlyn is about 87 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 Burlyn in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Burlyn a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Burlyn 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.
Is Burlyn still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Burlyn 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 Burlyn 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 Burlyn?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.