Unisex name · since 1905
Carlin
Carlin has 2,626 recorded births since 1905 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1992 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #2,780 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #6,470 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 2,626
- born since 1905
- 1990s
- peak decade
Yes -- Carlin is the #6470 most popular unisex name in the U.S. today, with 2,626 recorded since 1905.
Social Security Administration records show Carlin recorded 2,626 times among boys since 1905, holding rank #6470 nationally today, ahead of 54% of boys, peaking in the 1990s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1905 to 2025.
- #2,780 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- #6,470 of 13,930 2025 SSA year
- 2,626 born since 1905
- 1990s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Carlin ranks #2,780 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first) and #6,470 of 13,930 among boys' names in 2025. 2,626 born since 1905, peaking in the 1990s.
- #2,780 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #6,470 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 2,626
- born since 1905
- 1990s
- peak decade
Carlin's 2,626 recorded births place it above 93.88% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
6 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by California.
How Carlin compares
2,626 Top 19% higher than 81% of 13,930 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Carlin's all-time total is 7x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Carlin | Median boys name (Takari) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,626 | 369 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 62 | 34 | 22,252 |
Carlin's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Carlin's SSA record in two at 1969 and the more recent half accounts for 71% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 29%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1905, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1992 peak of 62, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Carlin popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1905–2025
- Peak year (1992)
- 62
- Annual births at peak, across 121 years of records
Carlin popularity over time - girls
1,939 total births recorded since 1920 (Carlin as girls' name)
Carlin by decade
1990s is the heaviest window (469 births, 18% of the file).
1990s was Carlin's strongest decade.
469 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 18% of all-time use.
Carlin births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1900s 5
1900s
5 births
- 1910s 58
1910s
58 births
- 1920s 103
1920s
103 births
- 1930s 138
1930s
138 births
- 1940s 141
1940s
141 births
- 1950s 161
1950s
161 births
- 1960s 166
1960s
166 births
- 1970s
1970s
197 births
- 1980s
1980s
365 births
- 1990s
1990s
469 births
- 2000s
2000s
387 births
- 2010s
2010s
333 births
- 2020s 103
2020s
103 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 469 births (18% of all-time use).
How Carlin compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Carlin's total volume
Carlin by state
Where Carlin concentrates geographically, total births since 1905
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 70 | 2.7% |
| #2 | Texas | | 35 | 1.3% |
| #3 | Pennsylvania | | 23 | 0.9% |
| #4 | Florida | | 16 | 0.6% |
| #5 | Ohio | | 15 | 0.6% |
| #6 | New York | | 9 | 0.3% |
70 of 2,626 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 6 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Carlin's data
- Carlin's decade-level peak was the 1990s (469 total births); usage has since declined to 103 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Carlins (70 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Carlin
Nearby Names Like Carlin
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Carlin
Compare Carlin side by side: Carlin vs Carl Carlin vs Carlos Carlin vs Carter
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Carlin
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Carlin: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1992)
Similar record span (~120 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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, 1905–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
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 Carlin 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 August 2026.