Rosslyn
A feminine name of uncertain origin, potentially from a Scottish place name.
Name Census estimates that about 694 living Americans carry the first name Rosslyn. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Rosslyn today is around 31 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Rosslyn births was 2015 (33 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Rosslyn. 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
694
~ 1 in 493,882 Americans
Peak year
2015
33 babies that year
Average age
31
years old
2024 SSA rank
#9,412
Tracked since 1940
Popularity
Rosslyn: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Rosslyn 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 239 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Rosslyn remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Rosslyn 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 Rosslyn during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Rosslyns live
The SSA's state-level files cover 4 states and territories. California, Texas, Ohio recorded the most babies named Rosslyn, while Virginia, Ohio, Texas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 16 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Rosslyn
The name Rosslyn is believed to have originated from the Scottish Gaelic language, specifically deriving from the words "ros" meaning a promontory or rocky outcrop, and "linn" meaning a cascade or waterfall. It is thought to have first been used as a place name for the village of Roslin, located near Edinburgh, Scotland, which is renowned for its beautiful Rosslyn Chapel dating back to the 15th century.
The earliest recorded use of the name Rosslyn as a given name dates back to the 16th century, when it was primarily used for males. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Sir William Rosslyn, a Scottish nobleman and landowner who lived in the mid-1500s. Another notable figure from this period was Rosslyn Hay, a Scottish poet and writer who was born in 1568.
As time passed, Rosslyn gradually transitioned into a feminine name, gaining popularity among Scottish and English families in the 17th and 18th centuries. One of the most famous historical figures with this name was Rosslyn Wemyss, a Scottish aristocrat and courtier who served as a lady-in-waiting to Queen Anne in the early 1700s.
In the 19th century, the name Rosslyn continued to be used, although it remained relatively uncommon. One notable bearer was Rosslyn Crommelin, an American artist and sculptor who was born in 1859 and was known for her works depicting scenes from Greek mythology.
The 20th century saw a resurgence of interest in the name Rosslyn, particularly after the release of the novel "The Da Vinci Code" by Dan Brown in 2003, which featured Rosslyn Chapel as a prominent location. One of the most well-known individuals with this name in modern times was Rosslyn Turk, an American actress and model who appeared in several films and television shows in the 1960s and 1970s.
While the name Rosslyn has its roots in Scottish history and culture, it has since been adopted by families around the world, particularly in English-speaking countries. Its unique and melodic sound, combined with its rich historical associations, have made it a popular choice for parents seeking a distinctive and meaningful name for their child.
People
Rosslyn + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Rosslyn as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with R
Other first names starting with R with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Rosslyn: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Rosslyn?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 694 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Rosslyn 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 493,882 US residents.
Is Rosslyn a common name?
We classify Rosslyn as "Very Rare". It ranks above 87.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 783 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Rosslyn most popular?
The single biggest year for Rosslyn was 2015, when 33 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Rosslyn is about 31 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Rosslyn a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Rosslyn 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.