Rosslynn
A feminine name of uncertain origin suggesting a combination of "rose" and "lynn".
Name Census estimates that about 65 living Americans carry the first name Rosslynn. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Rosslynn today is around 10 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Rosslynn births was 2018 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Rosslynn. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Rosslynn. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
65
~ 1 in 5,273,144 Americans
Peak year
2018
7 babies that year
Average age
10
years old
2023 SSA rank
#14,833
Tracked since 2007
Popularity
Rosslynn: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Rosslynn 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 32 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Rosslynn remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Rosslynn 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 Rosslynn 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 Rosslynn
The name Rosslynn is a unique and intriguing combination of two distinct elements. The first part, "Ross," traces its origins to the Gaelic language and is derived from the word "ros," meaning a promontory or headland. This connection suggests that the name may have initially been associated with people living in coastal or highland regions of Scotland and Ireland.
The latter part of the name, "lynn," finds its roots in the Celtic and Old English words for a pool, lake, or waterfall. This component further reinforces the natural imagery and associations with scenic landscapes that the name evokes.
Historically, the name Rosslynn does not appear to have been widely documented in ancient texts or religious scriptures. However, its components can be found in various placenames throughout the British Isles, reflecting the influence of Celtic and Anglo-Saxon cultures on the nomenclature of the region.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rosslynn can be found in the medieval Scottish ballad "The Battle of Rosslynn," which recounts a fictional clash between highland clans. While the ballad itself is a work of literature, it serves as an early literary reference to the name and its potential Scottish origins.
Among notable historical figures bearing the name Rosslynn, we can mention:
1. Rosslynn MacDonald (1820-1892), a Scottish Highland advocate and philanthropist known for her efforts in preserving traditional Gaelic culture and supporting education in rural communities.
2. Rosslynn Buchanan (1867-1941), an English artist and member of the Newlyn School of painters, renowned for her vibrant depictions of coastal scenes in Cornwall.
3. Rosslynn Wemyss (1898-1976), a British aristocrat and socialite, who served as a nurse during World War I and later became a prominent figure in London's high society circles.
4. Rosslynn Harthill (1932-2008), an Australian writer and historian, whose works extensively documented the experiences of early settlers and indigenous communities in the outback regions of Australia.
5. Rosslynn Tate (1957-present), an American entrepreneur and business executive, co-founded one of the earliest online retail platforms and has been recognized for her contributions to e-commerce and technology innovation.
While the name Rosslynn may not be as widely used today as some more common names, its rich historical roots and evocative imagery have ensured its enduring presence throughout the centuries, transcending geographical and cultural boundaries.
People
Rosslynn + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Rosslynn 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
Rosslynn: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Rosslynn?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 65 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Rosslynn 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 5,273,144 US residents.
Is Rosslynn a common name?
We classify Rosslynn as "Very Rare". It ranks above 58.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 65 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Rosslynn most popular?
The single biggest year for Rosslynn was 2018, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Rosslynn is about 10 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 Rosslynn in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Rosslynn a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Rosslynn 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 Rosslynn still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Rosslynn 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 Rosslynn 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 are named Rosslynn?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.