Total births
425
Girls' name · since 1935
Carilyn
Since 1935, U.S. Social Security records show 425 babies named Carilyn, peaking in 1958. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- 425
- total births
- 1935–2011
- years on record
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 24%
- born in that decade
425 girls have been named Carilyn since 1935, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Carilyn has been recorded 425 times among girls since 1935, though it is not among the currently most-used girls names, with its heaviest use in the 1950s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1935 to 2011.
- 425 total births
- 1935–2011 years on record
- 1950s peak decade
- 24% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
425 girls have been named Carilyn since 1935, peaking in the 1950s, last recorded in 2011.
- 425
- total births
- 1935–2011
- years on record
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 24%
- born in that decade
1950s
Peak decade
24% of everyone ever named Carilyn was born in this single decade.
1958
Single peak year
17 babies were named Carilyn in 1958 - its busiest year on record.
Carilyn's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Carilyn's full recorded timeline at 1963, 40% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 60% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1944, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1958 peak of 17 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Carilyn at a glance
Last recorded 2011Peak year
1958
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1935
Carilyn popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1935–2011
- Peak year (1958)
- 17
- Annual births at peak, across 77 years of records
Carilyn by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1950s was Carilyn's strongest decade.
101 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 24% of all-time use.
Carilyn births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1930s 27
1930s
27 births
- 1940s
1940s
96 births
- 1950s
1950s
101 births
- 1960s
1960s
80 births
- 1970s 40
1970s
40 births
- 1980s 34
1980s
34 births
- 1990s 22
1990s
22 births
- 2000s 12
2000s
12 births
- 2010s 13
2010s
13 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 101 births (24% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Carilyn? ▼
425 babies have been named Carilyn since 1935. It was last recorded in 2011. The peak year was 1958 with 17 births.
When was Carilyn most popular? ▼
Carilyn was most popular in the 1950s decade with 101 total births. The single peak year was 1958.
How long has the name Carilyn been used? ▼
Records for Carilyn go back to 1935, giving 77 years of history through 2011.
What names are similar to Carilyn? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Carol, Carolyn, Carrie, Caroline, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Carilyn's data
- Carilyn's decade-level peak was the 1950s (101 total births); usage has since declined to 13 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Carilyn
Nearby Names Like Carilyn
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Carilyn
Carol Girl
#2639 816,928 births
Carolyn Girl
#1160 556,777 births
Carrie Girl
#3013 266,350 births
Caroline Girl
#92 250,410 births
Carla Girl
#1009 150,390 births
Compare Carilyn side by side: Carilyn vs Carol Carilyn vs Carolyn Carilyn vs Carrie
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1935–2011 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Carilyn: Baby Name Since 1935 - 425 Births, Peak 1958." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/carilyn. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Carilyn draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.