Cullyn
A masculine name of Irish origin meaning "handsome lad" or "good-looking boy".
Name Census estimates that about 11 living Americans carry the first name Cullyn. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Cullyn today is around 14 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Cullyn births was 2011 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Cullyn. 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 Cullyn. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
11
~ 1 in 31,159,485 Americans
Peak year
2011
6 babies that year
Average age
14
years old
2013 SSA rank
#12,523
Tracked since 2011
Popularity
Cullyn: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Cullyn 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 Cullyn during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 11 | 0 | 11 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Cullyn
The name Cullyn is believed to have originated in the Celtic regions of the British Isles. It is derived from the ancient Gaelic word "cuillean," which means "holly tree." The holly tree held great significance in Celtic culture, symbolizing fertility, protection, and renewal.
During the Middle Ages, the name Cullyn appeared in various historical records and manuscripts from the regions of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. It was particularly popular among families associated with the Gaelic clans and the ancient Druid traditions.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cullyn dates back to the 7th century AD. It was mentioned in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, referring to a Gaelic chieftain from the northern regions of Ireland.
Throughout the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the name Cullyn. In the 11th century, Cullyn mac Gillabride was a renowned Irish poet and bard, celebrated for his intricate verse and mastery of the Gaelic language. His works were widely circulated and preserved in ancient manuscripts.
Another historical figure was Cullyn O'Rourke, a 13th-century Irish nobleman and military leader. He played a significant role in the resistance against the Norman invasion of Ireland and was renowned for his strategic prowess and unwavering loyalty to his clan.
In the realm of religion, Cullyn Brolachan was a 15th-century Irish priest and scholar. He was known for his extensive knowledge of Celtic mythology and his efforts to preserve the ancient oral traditions of his people.
During the 16th century, Cullyn MacCulloch was a Scottish nobleman and laird, known for his contributions to the literary and philosophical circles of his time. His writings on Celtic culture and mythology have been preserved and studied by scholars.
In the early 20th century, Cullyn Dermot was an Irish writer and poet whose works celebrated the rich heritage and landscapes of his homeland. His poetic collection, "Songs of the Emerald Isle," garnered critical acclaim and helped revive interest in traditional Gaelic literature.
People
Cullyn + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Cullyn 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
Cullyn: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Cullyn?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 11 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Cullyn 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 Cullyn a common name?
We classify Cullyn 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 Cullyn most popular?
The single biggest year for Cullyn was 2011, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Cullyn is about 14 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 Cullyn in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Cullyn a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Cullyn 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 Cullyn still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Cullyn 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 Cullyn 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 share the name Cullyn?
Find out how many Americans are named Cullyn on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.