Gaylyn
A feminine name combining "gay" (lively) and the suffix "-lyn" (small meadow).
Name Census estimates that about 227 living Americans carry the first name Gaylyn. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Gaylyn today is around 64 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Gaylyn births was 1962 (21 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Gaylyn. 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
227
~ 1 in 1,509,931 Americans
Peak year
1962
21 babies that year
Average age
64
years old
1997 SSA rank
#14,499
Tracked since 1943
Popularity
Gaylyn: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Gaylyn from the 1940s through to the 1990s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 120 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1960s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Gaylyn 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 Gaylyn during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Gaylyns live
Origin
Meaning and history of Gaylyn
The name Gaylyn is a modern name that emerged in the 20th century. It is an English feminine name, believed to be a combination of the names Gay and Lynn. The name Gay is derived from the Old French word "gai," meaning joyful or carefree, while Lynn is a unisex name of English origin, meaning a waterfall or pool.
The earliest known usage of the name Gaylyn can be traced back to the early 1900s in the United States. However, it did not gain significant popularity until the mid-20th century, particularly in the 1940s and 1950s. During this time, the name became a trendy choice for parents seeking unique and unconventional names for their daughters.
While there are no known historical references or ancient texts that directly mention the name Gaylyn, it is worth noting that the name Gay has been used as a given name since the Middle Ages. The name Lynn, on the other hand, has a longer history and can be traced back to the Old English word "linn," meaning a waterfall or pool.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Gaylyn was Gaylyn Studlar, an American actress and director born in 1940. She is best known for her work in the independent film scene, particularly in the 1970s and 1980s.
Another notable figure with the name Gaylyn was Gaylyn Suiter, an American singer and songwriter born in 1942. She was a member of the folk trio The New Christy Minstrels and had a successful career in the 1960s and 1970s.
Gaylyn Tanner (1940-2018) was an American business executive and philanthropist. She served as the President and CEO of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company from 1992 to 2004, and was widely recognized for her contributions to the hospitality industry.
Gaylyn Wagner (born 1953) is an American author and educator. She has written several books on parenting and child development, and has been a prominent advocate for early childhood education.
Gaylyn Henderson (born 1962) is a Canadian former professional tennis player. She achieved a career-high ranking of No. 24 in the world in singles and won two singles titles on the WTA Tour.
While the name Gaylyn is not as common today as it was in the mid-20th century, it remains a unique and distinctive choice for parents seeking a name that combines elements of joy, nature, and individuality.
People
Gaylyn + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Gaylyn as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with G
Other first names starting with G with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Gaylyn: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Gaylyn?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 227 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Gaylyn 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 1,509,931 US residents.
Is Gaylyn a common name?
We classify Gaylyn as "Very Rare". It ranks above 75.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 303 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Gaylyn most popular?
The single biggest year for Gaylyn was 1962, when 21 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Gaylyn is about 64 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Gaylyn a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Gaylyn 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.
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.