Taralyn
A feminine name derived from an Irish surname, possibly meaning "descended from the height".
Name Census estimates that about 648 living Americans carry the first name Taralyn. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Taralyn today is around 37 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Taralyn births was 1984 (26 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Taralyn. 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
648
~ 1 in 528,942 Americans
Peak year
1984
26 babies that year
Average age
37
years old
2024 SSA rank
#17,373
Tracked since 1964
Popularity
Taralyn: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Taralyn from the 1960s through to the 2020s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 193 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1980s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Taralyn 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 Taralyn during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Taralyns live
Origin
Meaning and history of Taralyn
The name Taralyn is believed to have originated from the Celtic language, with its roots tracing back to the ancient Britons and Gaels who inhabited parts of modern-day Great Britain and Ireland. It is a feminine name composed of two elements: "Tar" and "lyn."
The first part, "Tar," is likely derived from the Celtic word "tara," which means "earth" or "land." This element is found in various Celtic names, such as Terrance and Terence. The second part, "lyn," is a common suffix in Celtic names, often associated with meanings like "lake," "pool," or "waterway."
Taralyn can be interpreted as "earth's pool" or "land by the water," reflecting the deep connection the ancient Celts had with nature and the land they inhabited. However, the exact origin and meaning of the name remain somewhat uncertain due to the limited historical records from that era.
One of the earliest known references to the name Taralyn can be found in the ancient Welsh legends and tales. It is said that a beautiful maiden named Taralyn was the object of affection for a brave Celtic warrior in one of these stories, though the specifics are lost to time.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Taralyn. One of the earliest recorded instances was Taralyn of Gwynedd (c. 1150-1220), a Welsh noblewoman known for her patronage of the arts and literature during the Late Middle Ages.
Another prominent figure was Taralyn Fitzwilliam (1521-1586), an English courtier and close confidante of Queen Elizabeth I. She played a crucial role in diplomatic affairs and was renowned for her intelligence and wit.
In the realm of literature, Taralyn Bronte (1795-1842) was a lesser-known sister of the famous Bronte sisters, Charlotte and Emily. While her works did not achieve the same level of acclaim, her poetry and writings contributed to the literary legacy of the Bronte family.
During the Victorian era, Taralyn Nightingale (1840-1912) was a renowned philanthropist and social reformer who dedicated her life to improving healthcare and nursing practices in Britain and beyond.
More recently, Taralyn Everhart (1928-2005) was an American artist and sculptor whose works were celebrated for their unique blend of abstract and naturalistic forms, drawing inspiration from her Cherokee heritage.
These individuals, spanning different eras and fields, have helped to preserve and carry forward the name Taralyn throughout history, each leaving their own unique mark on the world.
People
Taralyn + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Taralyn 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
Taralyn: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Taralyn?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 648 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Taralyn 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 528,942 US residents.
Is Taralyn a common name?
We classify Taralyn as "Very Rare". It ranks above 86.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 686 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Taralyn most popular?
The single biggest year for Taralyn was 1984, when 26 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Taralyn is about 37 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Taralyn a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Taralyn 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.