Tamblyn
A masculine name of unknown origin, perhaps derived from "tambour" (drum).
Name Census estimates that about 14 living Americans carry the first name Tamblyn. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Tamblyn today is around 65 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Tamblyn births was 1958 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Tamblyn. 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 Tamblyn. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
14
~ 1 in 24,482,453 Americans
Peak year
1958
8 babies that year
Average age
65
years old
1968 SSA rank
#8,057
Tracked since 1958
Popularity
Tamblyn: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Tamblyn from the 1950s through to the 1960s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 10 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Tamblyn 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 Tamblyn 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 Tamblyn
The name Tamblyn has its origins traced back to the ancient Celtic language of Brittonic, spoken by the Britons in what is now Great Britain and parts of France. It is believed to be derived from the Welsh words "tam" meaning "spread" and "blyn" meaning "wolf," suggesting a possible connection to the image of a wolf's spread footprint.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Tamblyn can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landholdings and wealth in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions a person named "Tamblinus" as a landowner in Devon, indicating the name's usage during the Norman period.
In the 13th century, a notable figure bearing the name Tamblyn was Sir John Tamblyn, a knight who served under King Edward I during the Scottish Wars of Independence. He participated in the Battle of Falkirk in 1298 and was later granted lands in Cornwall for his valor.
During the Tudor period, a prominent individual named Tamblyn was William Tamblyn, a wealthy merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol in the early 16th century. He was known for his philanthropic endeavors and contributed to the construction of several public buildings in the city.
In the realm of literature, one of the earliest recorded uses of the name Tamblyn can be found in the works of the 17th-century English poet and dramatist John Dryden. In his play "The Conquest of Granada," Dryden introduces a character named Tamblyn, a Moorish prince.
Another noteworthy figure bearing the name Tamblyn was Sir Thomas Tamblyn, a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars in the early 19th century. He achieved distinction for his bravery and leadership during several successful engagements against the French fleet.
While the name Tamblyn has roots in ancient Celtic languages, it has remained relatively uncommon throughout history, with scattered occurrences in various parts of Britain and occasional appearances in literary works and historical records. Its unique and intriguing origins, however, continue to make it a distinctive and memorable name.
People
Tamblyn + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Tamblyn as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with T
Other first names starting with T with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Tamblyn: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Tamblyn?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 14 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Tamblyn 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 24,482,453 US residents.
Is Tamblyn a common name?
We classify Tamblyn as "Very Rare". It ranks above 34% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 18 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Tamblyn most popular?
The single biggest year for Tamblyn was 1958, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Tamblyn is about 65 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Tamblyn a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Tamblyn 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.