Karalyn
A feminine name derived from the Greek words 'kalos' and 'linos', meaning "beautiful linseed".
Name Census estimates that about 1,503 living Americans carry the first name Karalyn. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Karalyn today is around 31 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Karalyn births was 1996 (46 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Karalyn. 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
1.5K
~ 1 in 228,047 Americans
Peak year
1996
46 babies that year
Average age
31
years old
2024 SSA rank
#10,639
Tracked since 1941
Popularity
Karalyn: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Karalyn from the 1940s through to the 2020s, spanning 9 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 371 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Karalyn 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 Karalyn during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Karalyns live
The SSA's state-level files cover 9 states and territories. New York, California, Ohio recorded the most babies named Karalyn, while Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 16 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Karalyn
The name Karalyn is a modern feminine given name of American origin, believed to have emerged in the 20th century. It is thought to be a combination of the Greek name "Kara" and the English name "Lynn." The prefix "Kara" is derived from the Greek word "karos," meaning "beloved" or "dear," while "Lynn" is an English name with origins in the Celtic language, meaning "lake" or "pool."
Karalyn is not a name with a long historical lineage or deep cultural roots. Its relatively recent appearance suggests it was likely created as a new name, blending existing names and elements to form a unique composite. There are no clear records of the name appearing in ancient texts, religious scriptures, or historical records prior to the 20th century.
The earliest recorded examples of the name Karalyn are difficult to pinpoint precisely, given its modern origins. However, it is likely that the name gained popularity in the United States during the mid-to-late 20th century, as part of a broader trend of creating new names by combining elements from various linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
While Karalyn is not a name with a long historical legacy, there have been a few notable individuals who have borne this name throughout the modern era. Here are five examples:
1. Karalyn Kempton (born 1947), an American actress known for her roles in television shows and films in the 1970s and 1980s.
2. Karalyn Auten (born 1980), an American professional golfer who has competed on the LPGA Tour.
3. Karalyn Hutchinson (born 1992), a Canadian actress best known for her role in the television series "Anne with an E."
4. Karalyn Bott (born 1988), an Australian professional basketball player who has played in the WNBL and overseas leagues.
5. Karalyn Kramer (born 1988), an American professional wrestler better known by her ring name Tegan Nox in WWE.
While the name Karalyn may not have a rich historical tapestry, its modern origins and blend of linguistic elements reflect the diverse cultural influences that have shaped naming traditions in recent decades, particularly in the United States.
People
Karalyn + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Karalyn as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with K
Other first names starting with K with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Karalyn: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Karalyn?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,503 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Karalyn 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 228,047 US residents.
Is Karalyn a common name?
We classify Karalyn as "Rare". It ranks above 92.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,589 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Karalyn most popular?
The single biggest year for Karalyn was 1996, when 46 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Karalyn is about 31 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Karalyn a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Karalyn 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.