Jacelyn
A feminine name of French origin meaning "supplanter" or "to follow after".
Name Census estimates that about 2,865 living Americans carry the first name Jacelyn. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Jacelyn today is around 23 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Jacelyn births was 2013 (127 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Jacelyn. 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
2.9K
~ 1 in 119,635 Americans
Peak year
2013
127 babies that year
Average age
23
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,400
Tracked since 1949
Popularity
Jacelyn: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Jacelyn from the 1940s through to the 2020s, spanning 9 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 978 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2010s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Jacelyn 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 Jacelyn during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Jacelyns live
The SSA's state-level files cover 23 states and territories. Texas, Louisiana, California recorded the most babies named Jacelyn, while Washington, New Mexico, Missouri recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 38 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Jacelyn
Jacelyn is a feminine given name of English origin, derived from the French name Jacqueline, which itself is a diminutive form of the male name Jacques. The name Jacques ultimately derives from the Hebrew name Jacob, meaning "supplanter" or "one who follows." The name Jacelyn emerged as a variant spelling in the late 20th century.
The name Jacqueline has a long history, with roots dating back to the Middle Ages. It was popularized in France during the 12th century and was borne by several notable women, including Saint Jacqueline de Montfort (1210-1252), a French nun and mystic.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Jacelyn can be found in the birth records of the early 19th century. In 1815, a Jacelyn Brown was born in London, England. Another early bearer of the name was Jacelyn Halliday (1846-1919), an American author and editor from Massachusetts.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Jacelyn. Jacelyn Trevanian (1925-1997) was an American painter and sculptor known for her abstract expressionist works. Jacelyn Reilly (born 1951) is a Canadian actress best known for her roles in television series such as "The Beachcombers" and "Street Legal."
In the literary world, Jacelyn Blanchard (1956-2012) was an American author and poet who published several collections of poetry and short stories. Jacelyn Biondo (born 1974) is a British actress and model who has appeared in various television shows and films.
Another notable Jacelyn is Jacelyn Rendleman (born 1988), an American musician and singer-songwriter. She has released several albums and has gained popularity in the indie rock scene.
While the name Jacelyn has its roots in England and France, it has gained popularity across various cultures and regions over the years, with bearers of the name making their mark in diverse fields such as art, literature, entertainment, and music.
People
Jacelyn + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Jacelyn as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with J
Other first names starting with J with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Jacelyn: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Jacelyn?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2,865 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Jacelyn 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 119,635 US residents.
Is Jacelyn a common name?
We classify Jacelyn as "Rare". It ranks above 95% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 2,962 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Jacelyn most popular?
The single biggest year for Jacelyn was 2013, when 127 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Jacelyn is about 23 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Jacelyn a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Jacelyn 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.