Westlyn
A modern invented name suggesting a Western origin or location.
Name Census estimates that about 455 living Americans carry the first name Westlyn. It is a predominantly female name (92.4% of registrations). The average person named Westlyn today is around 7 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Westlyn births was 2017 (120 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Westlyn. 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
455
~ 1 in 753,306 Americans
Peak year
2017
120 babies that year
Average age
7
years old
2023 SSA rank
#9,689
Tracked since 2015
Gender
Gender distribution for Westlyn
Westlyn leans heavily female at 92.4% of total registrations, but 35 boys have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Westlyn as a male name
- Ranked #9,689 in 2023
- 8 male births in 2023
- Peak: 2017 (11 births)
Westlyn as a female name
- Ranked #10,193 in 2024
- 10 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2017 (109 births)
Popularity
Westlyn: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Westlyn from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 309 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Westlyn remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Westlyn 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 Westlyn during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Westlyns live
The SSA's state-level files cover 8 states and territories. Texas, California, Ohio recorded the most babies named Westlyn, while Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Indiana recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 14 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Westlyn
The name Westlyn is a relatively modern English name that emerged in the late 20th century. It is a combination of the English words "west" and "lynn," with the former derived from the Old English "west" meaning "the direction of the setting sun," and the latter being a common English surname and place name derived from the Old English "linn" meaning "lake or waterfall."
While the name itself is of recent origin, its roots can be traced back to the Anglo-Saxon era in England. The element "west" has been used in English place names and surnames for centuries, often denoting a location or settlement situated in the western part of a particular area or region. Similarly, the element "lynn" has been a popular name component in various parts of England, particularly in areas with bodies of water such as lakes or waterfalls.
There are no known historical references to the name Westlyn in ancient texts, religious scriptures, or historical records prior to its modern usage. The earliest recorded examples of the name are likely to be found in birth records and census data from the late 20th century onwards, as it gained popularity as a given name for girls.
Despite its relatively recent emergence, there have been a few notable individuals who have borne the name Westlyn throughout history. One such person is Westlyn Windham-Burke (born 1981), an American reality television personality and businesswoman known for her appearance on the Bravo television series "The Real Housewives of Orange County."
Another individual named Westlyn is Westlyn Salsbury (born 1992), an American actress and model who has appeared in various television shows and films, including "The Fosters" and "The Last Ship."
Westlyn Ketchum (born 1987) is an American artist and illustrator whose work has been featured in various publications and exhibitions.
Westlyn Michaels (born 1978) is an American singer-songwriter and musician, known for her fusion of folk and rock genres.
Lastly, Westlyn Harrington (born 1995) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who currently plays as a defenseman for the Calgary Inferno in the Premier Hockey Federation.
While the name Westlyn is relatively new and its origins can be traced back to the late 20th century, it has already gained a foothold in various parts of the English-speaking world, particularly in North America. As a combination of two familiar English elements, it carries a sense of modernity while still being rooted in the linguistic traditions of the English language.
People
Westlyn + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Westlyn as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with W
Other first names starting with W with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Westlyn: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Westlyn?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 455 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Westlyn 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 753,306 US residents.
Is Westlyn a common name?
We classify Westlyn as "Very Rare". It ranks above 83.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 458 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Westlyn most popular?
The single biggest year for Westlyn was 2017, when 120 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Westlyn is about 7 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Westlyn a female name?
Yes, 92.4% of people registered as Westlyn 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.