Hollyn
A feminine name derived from the word "hollow", suggesting a peaceful valley.
Name Census estimates that about 1,899 living Americans carry the first name Hollyn. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Hollyn today is around 12 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Hollyn births was 2024 (168 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Hollyn. 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
- • Hollyn is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 12 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
1.9K
~ 1 in 180,492 Americans
Peak year
2024
168 babies that year
Average age
12
years old
2024 SSA rank
#1,353
Tracked since 1977
Popularity
Hollyn: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Hollyn from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 761 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
Hollyn 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 Hollyn during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Hollyns live
The SSA's state-level files cover 23 states and territories. Texas, Alabama, Georgia recorded the most babies named Hollyn, while Nebraska, North Dakota, Iowa recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 35 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Hollyn
The given name Hollyn has its origins in the Old English language, dating back to the Anglo-Saxon period in Britain. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "hol," which means "hollow" or "valley." The name Hollyn was likely used to describe someone who lived in or near a hollow or valley.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Hollyn can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landholdings in England compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. In this historical document, there are references to individuals with the name Hollyn or similar variations, such as Hollinus or Hollinus.
During the Middle Ages, the name Hollyn was relatively uncommon but still appeared in various historical records and chronicles. One notable figure from this period was Hollyn de Beauchamp, a Norman nobleman who lived in the 12th century and served as a knight under King Richard I.
In the 16th century, the name Hollyn gained some prominence in England, particularly among the gentry and nobility. One famous bearer of the name was Hollyn Vere, an English courtier and politician who served as a member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He was born in 1563 and died in 1635.
Another notable figure associated with the name Hollyn was Hollyn Croft, a renowned English botanist and naturalist who lived from 1592 to 1657. Croft made significant contributions to the study of plants and is credited with introducing several new species to the British Isles.
In the 18th century, the name Hollyn was relatively rare but still present in certain regions of England. One person of note was Hollyn Walpole, an English writer and critic who lived from 1717 to 1797. Walpole is best known for his literary works and his correspondence with notable figures of the time.
As time progressed, the name Hollyn became increasingly uncommon, although it continued to be used occasionally throughout the centuries. In the modern era, the name has experienced a resurgence in popularity, particularly in the United States and other English-speaking countries.
People
Hollyn + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Hollyn as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with H
Other first names starting with H with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Hollyn: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Hollyn?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,899 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Hollyn 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 180,492 US residents.
Is Hollyn a common name?
We classify Hollyn as "Rare". It ranks above 93.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,919 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Hollyn most popular?
The single biggest year for Hollyn was 2024, when 168 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Hollyn is about 12 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Hollyn a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Hollyn 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.