Cullin
A masculine name of Irish origin possibly meaning "good-looking" or "handsome".
Name Census estimates that about 390 living Americans carry the first name Cullin. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Cullin today is around 24 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Cullin births was 2000 (23 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Cullin. 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
390
~ 1 in 878,857 Americans
Peak year
2000
23 babies that year
Average age
24
years old
2020 SSA rank
#12,418
Tracked since 1917
Popularity
Cullin: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Cullin from the 1910s through to the 2020s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 156 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Cullin 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 Cullin 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 Cullin
The name Cullin is believed to have its origins in the Scottish Gaelic language, where it is derived from the word "cuileann," which means "holly." The name is thought to have emerged during the early medieval period, around the 6th or 7th century, when the Scottish Gaelic language began to take shape.
In its earliest form, the name was likely spelled "Cuilinn" or "Cuilean," and it was likely used as a descriptive name for someone who lived near or was associated with holly trees. Over time, the spelling evolved to "Cullin," which is the more common modern spelling.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cullin can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. The Annals mention a man named "Cullin mac Baithin" who lived in the 7th century and was a notable scholar and scribe.
Another historical figure with the name Cullin was Cullin of Iona, a 7th-century Scottish monk and abbot of the monastery on the Isle of Iona. He is remembered for his role in preserving and promoting the religious and cultural traditions of the Celtic Church.
In the 12th century, a man named Cullin Rí Insi Gall, or "Cullin, King of the Hebrides," was a notable figure in Scottish history. He was a powerful ruler who controlled a large portion of the Hebrides Islands off the west coast of Scotland.
In the 16th century, there was a Scottish poet named Cullin Macmhuirich, who was part of a family of hereditary poets and historians to the Lords of the Isles. Some of his works have survived to this day and provide valuable insights into the culture and traditions of medieval Scotland.
Another notable figure with the name Cullin was Cullin Macbeth, a 17th-century Scottish soldier and chief of the Clan Macbeth. He fought in the English Civil War and was known for his bravery and leadership on the battlefield.
While the name Cullin has its roots in Scottish Gaelic culture, it has since spread to other parts of the world and has been adopted by people of various backgrounds and nationalities. However, its historical origins and associations with the Scottish Highlands and Islands remain a significant part of its cultural heritage.
People
Cullin + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Cullin 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
Cullin: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Cullin?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 390 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Cullin 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 878,857 US residents.
Is Cullin a common name?
We classify Cullin as "Very Rare". It ranks above 82.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 403 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Cullin most popular?
The single biggest year for Cullin was 2000, when 23 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Cullin is about 24 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Cullin a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Cullin 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.