Shaelynn
A feminine name of English origin meaning "a small fairy".
Name Census estimates that about 1,893 living Americans carry the first name Shaelynn. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Shaelynn today is around 19 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Shaelynn births was 2008 (85 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Shaelynn. 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
1.9K
~ 1 in 181,064 Americans
Peak year
2008
85 babies that year
Average age
19
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,855
Tracked since 1985
Popularity
Shaelynn: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Shaelynn from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 702 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Shaelynn 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 Shaelynn during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Shaelynns live
The SSA's state-level files cover 19 states and territories. Ohio, Utah, California recorded the most babies named Shaelynn, while West Virginia, Tennessee, Missouri recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 19 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Shaelynn
Shaelynn is a name of modern invention, likely created in the late 20th century as a blend of the names Shae and Lynn. The name does not have a definitive origin or etymology rooted in any specific language or culture.
The first part of the name, "Shae," could be derived from the Irish Gaelic name Síofra, meaning "fairy-like" or "elf-like." However, this connection is speculative and not widely accepted. The second part, "Lynn," is a common English name with roots in the Celtic word for "lake" or "pool."
There are no known historical references or appearances of the name Shaelynn in ancient texts, religious scriptures, or historical records. The name's modern creation and lack of a clear linguistic heritage make it unlikely to have any significant historical background.
The earliest recorded examples of the name Shaelynn likely date back to the late 20th century, but specific records are scarce. Due to its recent origin, there are no famous historical figures associated with the name Shaelynn.
While Shaelynn is a relatively new name, it has gained popularity in recent decades, particularly in English-speaking countries such as the United States and Canada. However, the lack of a definitive historical background or notable figures bearing the name makes it challenging to provide a comprehensive account of its origins and evolution.
People
Shaelynn + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Shaelynn as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with S
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Shaelynn: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Shaelynn?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,893 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Shaelynn 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 181,064 US residents.
Is Shaelynn a common name?
We classify Shaelynn as "Rare". It ranks above 93.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,924 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Shaelynn most popular?
The single biggest year for Shaelynn was 2008, when 85 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Shaelynn is about 19 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Shaelynn a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Shaelynn 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.