Pailynn
A feminine name of uncertain origin likely meaning "lovely" or "pearl".
Name Census estimates that about 105 living Americans carry the first name Pailynn. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Pailynn today is around 10 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Pailynn births was 2014 (13 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Pailynn. 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
105
~ 1 in 3,264,327 Americans
Peak year
2014
13 babies that year
Average age
10
years old
2022 SSA rank
#17,154
Tracked since 2011
Popularity
Pailynn: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Pailynn from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 86 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
Pailynn 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 Pailynn 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 Pailynn
The name Pailynn has its origins in the ancient Gaelic language, which was spoken by the Celtic people of Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man. It dates back to the 5th century AD and is believed to be derived from the Old Irish words "pail" meaning "pearl" and "linn" meaning "pool" or "lake".
During the medieval period, the name was often associated with the Emerald Isle and was thought to represent the beauty and purity of the Irish landscape. It was a popular name among the noble families of Ireland, particularly in the regions of Connacht and Leinster.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Pailynn can be found in the 9th century Annals of Ulster, which mention a woman named Pailynn of Armagh, who was renowned for her wisdom and charitable works.
In the 12th century, the name gained further prominence with the birth of Pailynn Ní Dhomhnaill, the daughter of Domhnall Mór Ó Domhnaill, the King of Tír Chonaill (modern-day County Donegal). She was a renowned poet and patron of the arts, and her legacy lived on through the works of many bards and storytellers of the time.
Another notable figure in history with the name Pailynn was Pailynn Ní Bhriain, who lived in the 16th century and was a powerful chieftain of the Ó Briain clan in County Clare. She was known for her fierce leadership and her unwavering defense of her people against the English invaders.
In the 17th century, Pailynn Ní Cheallaigh was a celebrated harpist and musician who performed for the courts of Ireland and Scotland. Her beautiful melodies and compositions were widely admired, and she is credited with preserving many ancient Irish airs and tunes.
A more recent example of the name Pailynn can be found in the 19th century, with Pailynn Ní Mhurchadha, who was a renowned Irish scholar and language activist. She played a crucial role in the preservation and promotion of the Irish language and culture, and her efforts helped to ignite the Gaelic revival movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
While the name Pailynn may have waned in popularity in recent times, it remains a beautiful and meaningful name steeped in the rich cultural heritage of Ireland and the Celtic traditions.
People
Pailynn + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Pailynn as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with P
Other first names starting with P with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Pailynn: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Pailynn?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 105 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Pailynn 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 3,264,327 US residents.
Is Pailynn a common name?
We classify Pailynn as "Very Rare". It ranks above 65.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 106 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Pailynn most popular?
The single biggest year for Pailynn was 2014, when 13 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Pailynn is about 10 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Pailynn a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Pailynn 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.