Macklyn
A diminutive form of the Scottish name Malcolm, meaning "disciple of St. Columba".
Name Census estimates that about 328 living Americans carry the first name Macklyn. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 77.9% of registrations being female. The average person named Macklyn today is around 7 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Macklyn births was 2018 (37 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Macklyn. 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
328
~ 1 in 1,044,983 Americans
Peak year
2018
37 babies that year
Average age
7
years old
2024 SSA rank
#5,879
Tracked since 2005
Gender
Gender distribution for Macklyn
Macklyn is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 330 total registrations, 73 (22.1%) were male and 257 (77.9%) were female.
Macklyn as a male name
- Ranked #9,501 in 2024
- 8 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2015 (12 births)
Macklyn as a female name
- Ranked #5,879 in 2024
- 21 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2018 (30 births)
Popularity
Macklyn: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Macklyn from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 178 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
Macklyn 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 Macklyn during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Macklyns live
Origin
Meaning and history of Macklyn
The given name Macklyn is a unique and relatively modern name, with its origins and etymology shrouded in mystery. It is believed to have emerged as a variant or combination of the Scottish surnames Mackenzie and McLean, both of which have roots in the Gaelic language.
The name Macklyn does not appear to have any direct historical references or mentions in ancient texts, religious scriptures, or notable historical records. Its first recorded use as a given name is relatively recent, likely within the past few centuries.
One of the earliest documented individuals with the name Macklyn was Macklyn Arbuckle (1866-1931), an American actor and playwright who rose to prominence in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was known for his roles in various Broadway productions and was a respected figure in the American theater scene of that era.
Another notable person with the name Macklyn was Macklyn Marrow (1910-1994), an American actor and comedian who appeared in numerous films and television shows throughout the mid-20th century. He is perhaps best remembered for his roles in classic comedies such as "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" and "The Nutty Professor."
In the world of sports, Macklyn Handspiker (1938-2015) was a professional baseball player who played for several teams in Major League Baseball during the 1960s and 1970s. He was known for his defensive skills as an outfielder and had a respectable career spanning over a decade.
Moving to the realm of literature, Macklyn Whitefoord (1921-2005) was a British author and poet who gained recognition for his works exploring themes of nature, spirituality, and the human experience. His published works include collections of poetry and several novels that received critical acclaim.
Lastly, Macklyn Jacobson (1942-2018) was a distinguished American academic and scholar who made significant contributions to the field of philosophy. He served as a professor at various prestigious universities and authored several influential books and scholarly articles throughout his career.
While the name Macklyn may not have a deep historical legacy, its unique and intriguing sound has contributed to its adoption by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, each leaving their own mark on the world.
People
Macklyn + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Macklyn as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Macklyn: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Macklyn?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 328 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Macklyn 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 1,044,983 US residents.
Is Macklyn a common name?
We classify Macklyn as "Very Rare". It ranks above 80.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 330 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Macklyn most popular?
The single biggest year for Macklyn was 2018, when 37 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Macklyn is about 7 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Macklyn a female name?
Yes, 77.9% of people registered as Macklyn 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.