Cairyn
A feminine name of unclear origin and meaning, possibly derived from 'cairn'.
Name Census estimates that about 11 living Americans carry the first name Cairyn. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Cairyn today is around 4 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Cairyn births was 2024 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Cairyn. 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
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Cairyn. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
11
~ 1 in 31,159,485 Americans
Peak year
2024
6 babies that year
Average age
4
years old
2024 SSA rank
#11,127
Tracked since 2020
Popularity
Cairyn: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Cairyn 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 Cairyn during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 11 | 0 | 11 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Cairyn
The name Cairyn originates from the ancient Celtic language and culture, with roots dating back to the 5th century CE. It is believed to be derived from the Proto-Celtic word "cairn," which referred to a pile or mound of stones, often used as burial markers or for religious ceremonies. The name may have been given to children born near such sacred sites.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cairyn can be found in the Annals of Ulster, an ancient Irish chronicle that documents events from the 5th to the 16th century. In the entry for the year 639 CE, a chieftain named Cairyn mac Colmáin is mentioned as leading a battle against rival clans.
During the Middle Ages, the name gained popularity among the Celtic populations of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. In the 12th century, a Welsh poet and writer named Cairyn ap Rhys was renowned for his works celebrating the heroic deeds of Welsh princes and kings.
In the 14th century, a Scottish nobleman named Cairyn of Argyll was a prominent figure in the Wars of Scottish Independence, fighting alongside Robert the Bruce against the English. He was known for his bravery and tactical skills on the battlefield.
Fast forward to the 16th century, and we find Cairyn O'Flaherty, an Irish chieftain who led a rebellion against English rule in Connacht. He was eventually captured and executed, but his defiance became a symbol of Irish resistance.
Moving into the 18th century, Cairyn MacLean was a Scottish Gaelic poet and bard who composed many works celebrating the Highland culture and way of life. His poems were widely recited and passed down through oral tradition.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who carried the name Cairyn throughout history, highlighting its deep roots in Celtic culture and its association with warriors, poets, and leaders.
People
Cairyn + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Cairyn as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with C
Other first names starting with C with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Cairyn: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Cairyn?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 11 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Cairyn 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 31,159,485 US residents.
Is Cairyn a common name?
We classify Cairyn as "Very Rare". It ranks above 30.8% 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 Cairyn most popular?
The single biggest year for Cairyn was 2024, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Cairyn 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 Cairyn in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Cairyn a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Cairyn 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 Cairyn still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Cairyn 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 Cairyn 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 common is the name Cairyn?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.