Matilynn
A feminine name of English origin, a combination meaning "gift of battle".
Name Census estimates that about 209 living Americans carry the first name Matilynn. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Matilynn today is around 15 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Matilynn births was 2008 (17 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Matilynn. 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
209
~ 1 in 1,639,973 Americans
Peak year
2008
17 babies that year
Average age
15
years old
2024 SSA rank
#16,780
Tracked since 1998
Popularity
Matilynn: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Matilynn from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 100 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
Matilynn 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 Matilynn during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Matilynn
Matilynn is a feminine given name with roots tracing back to ancient Germanic languages. It is a combination of the Germanic elements "mat", meaning "mighty" or "strength", and "lind", meaning "soft" or "tender". The name likely originated during the Middle Ages in regions where Germanic tribes settled, such as parts of modern-day Germany, the Netherlands, and England.
One of the earliest recorded instances of a similar name is Matilda, a name that appeared in historical records from the 7th century AD. Matilda was the name of a Frankish princess who later became a Catholic saint. The name gained popularity across Europe during the medieval period, with various spellings and diminutive forms emerging over time, including Matilynn.
In the 11th century, Matilda of Flanders was a influential figure as the wife of William the Conqueror, the Norman king who invaded England in 1066. Their daughter, Matilda of England, was born in 1102 and played a significant role in the succession crisis known as "The Anarchy" in the 12th century.
Another notable figure was Matilda of Tuscany, who lived from 1046 to 1115. She was a prominent Italian margravine and one of the most powerful and wealthiest women in Europe during her lifetime, known for her military accomplishments and support of the Papacy.
In the 13th century, Matilda of Hackeborn (1241-1298) was a German mystic and Cistercian nun who is venerated as a Catholic saint. Her writings and teachings on spiritual life had a significant impact on the monastic tradition of her time.
While the name Matilynn is not as common as its variants, such as Matilda or Madeline, it has been used throughout history, especially in regions with Germanic cultural influences. The name's combination of strength and tenderness has likely contributed to its enduring appeal over the centuries.
People
Matilynn + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Matilynn 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
Matilynn: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Matilynn?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 209 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Matilynn 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 1,639,973 US residents.
Is Matilynn a common name?
We classify Matilynn as "Very Rare". It ranks above 74.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 211 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Matilynn most popular?
The single biggest year for Matilynn was 2008, when 17 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Matilynn is about 15 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Matilynn in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Matilynn a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Matilynn 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.
Is Matilynn still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Matilynn in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Matilynn can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have the name Matilynn?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.