Colsyn
A modern unisex name potentially derived from "Colson," of English origin.
Name Census estimates that about 172 living Americans carry the first name Colsyn. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Colsyn today is around 7 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Colsyn births was 2022 (27 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Colsyn. 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
172
~ 1 in 1,992,758 Americans
Peak year
2022
27 babies that year
Average age
7
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,437
Tracked since 2010
Popularity
Colsyn: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Colsyn from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 98 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
Colsyn 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 Colsyn 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 Colsyn
The name Colsyn is believed to have its origins in ancient Gaelic culture, originating from the Old Irish word "colsán" which means "little victor" or "young conqueror." This name gained popularity during the early medieval period, particularly among Celtic tribes and kingdoms across Ireland, Scotland, and parts of northern England.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Colsyn can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history dating back to the 15th century. In this text, a warrior named Colsyn mac Áedáin is mentioned as a prominent figure in the Battle of Moira in 637 AD, where he fought alongside the Uí Néill dynasty against the forces of the Cruithin.
During the 9th century, a renowned Irish scholar and poet named Colsyn Ua Brolcháin gained recognition for his contributions to the preservation of ancient Celtic literature and mythology. His work, known as the Lebor Bretnach (The British Book), is an important source of information about the cultural and linguistic connections between Ireland and Britain during the Middle Ages.
In the 12th century, a legendary figure named Colsyn the Bard was said to have been the court poet and advisor to King Muirchertach Ua Briain, the High King of Ireland. His poetry and storytelling were highly regarded, and he is credited with popularizing the name among the noble classes of the time.
Another notable figure bearing the name Colsyn was a Scottish warrior from the 14th century, known as Colsyn of the Isles. He played a significant role in the Scottish Wars of Independence against the English, fighting alongside Robert the Bruce and earning a reputation for his bravery and strategic prowess.
In more recent times, the name Colsyn has remained relatively uncommon, but a few individuals have carried it forward. One such person was Colsyn O'Malley, an Irish-American author and poet who lived from 1876 to 1941, known for his works that celebrated his Celtic heritage and the beauty of the Irish landscape.
While the name Colsyn may have faded from widespread use over the centuries, its historical ties to ancient Celtic culture and the legends of warriors, poets, and scholars continue to imbue it with a sense of strength, valor, and artistic expression.
People
Colsyn + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Colsyn 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
Colsyn: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Colsyn?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 172 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Colsyn 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 1,992,758 US residents.
Is Colsyn a common name?
We classify Colsyn as "Very Rare". It ranks above 72.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 173 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Colsyn most popular?
The single biggest year for Colsyn was 2022, when 27 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Colsyn is about 7 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 Colsyn in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Colsyn a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Colsyn 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 Colsyn still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Colsyn 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 Colsyn 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 Americans are named Colsyn?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.