Emerlyn
A modern invented name possibly combining emerald and the suffix -lyn.
Name Census estimates that about 230 living Americans carry the first name Emerlyn. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Emerlyn today is around 6 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Emerlyn births was 2024 (48 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Emerlyn. 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
230
~ 1 in 1,490,236 Americans
Peak year
2024
48 babies that year
Average age
6
years old
2024 SSA rank
#3,284
Tracked since 2014
Popularity
Emerlyn: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Emerlyn 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 135 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
Emerlyn 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 Emerlyn during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Emerlyns live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. Texas, Florida, California recorded the most babies named Emerlyn, while California, Florida, Texas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 8 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Emerlyn
The name Emerlyn is a feminine given name of English origin, derived from the Old English words " æmere" meaning "eternal" or "everlasting" and "lind" meaning "linden tree" or "lime tree." This name likely emerged during the early Middle Ages in England, around the 5th to 11th centuries.
Emerlyn was a relatively uncommon name in medieval England, but it held significance as a symbol of enduring beauty and strength, much like the linden tree. The linden tree was revered in ancient Germanic and Celtic cultures for its resilience and longevity, and it was often associated with concepts of protection and healing.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Emerlyn can be found in the Domesday Book, a manuscript compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. The Domesday Book listed an individual named Emerlyn as a landholder in the county of Wiltshire.
Throughout the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the name Emerlyn. One such person was Emerlyn de Lacy, a 12th-century noblewoman from Herefordshire, England, known for her involvement in the Anarchy, a civil war that raged between 1135 and 1153.
Another noteworthy figure was Emerlyn Wynne, a 16th-century Welsh poet and author who wrote extensively about the history and culture of Wales. Her works provide valuable insights into the social and literary landscape of that era.
In the 17th century, Emerlyn Fiennes was a prominent English aristocrat and philanthropist. She was known for her charitable endeavors and her patronage of the arts and literature.
The 19th century saw the rise of Emerlyn Parkhurst, an American educator and suffragist who played a significant role in the women's rights movement. She advocated for equal educational opportunities for women and was a vocal supporter of women's suffrage.
Lastly, Emerlyn Fortescue was a 20th-century British botanist and conservationist. She dedicated her life to the study and preservation of rare plant species, making invaluable contributions to the field of botany.
While the name Emerlyn has waxed and waned in popularity over the centuries, it has maintained a sense of timelessness and natural beauty, reflecting its origins as a symbol of endurance and strength.
People
Emerlyn + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Emerlyn as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with E
Other first names starting with E with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Emerlyn: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Emerlyn?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 230 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Emerlyn 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 1,490,236 US residents.
Is Emerlyn a common name?
We classify Emerlyn as "Very Rare". It ranks above 76% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 231 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Emerlyn most popular?
The single biggest year for Emerlyn was 2024, when 48 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Emerlyn is about 6 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 Emerlyn in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Emerlyn a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Emerlyn in the SSA data are female. 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 Emerlyn still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Emerlyn 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 Emerlyn 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 Emerlyn?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.