Total births
897
Girls' name · since 1934
Karilyn
Since 1934, U.S. Social Security records show 897 babies named Karilyn, peaking in 1978. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- 897
- total births
- 1934–2021
- years on record
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 19%
- born in that decade
Karilyn is not among the current top-ranked girls names; 897 have been recorded since 1934.
Karilyn has 897 recorded births among girls since 1934, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used girls names, busiest in the 1980s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1934 to 2021.
- 897 total births
- 1934–2021 years on record
- 1980s peak decade
- 19% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
897 girls have been named Karilyn since 1934, peaking in the 1980s, last recorded in 2021.
- 897
- total births
- 1934–2021
- years on record
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 19%
- born in that decade
1980s
Peak decade
19% of everyone ever named Karilyn was born in this single decade.
1978
Single peak year
32 babies were named Karilyn in 1978 - its busiest year on record.
Karilyn's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Karilyn splits its recorded history at 1977: 55% of all births land in the more recent half, 45% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 2013 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1978 peak of 32 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Karilyn at a glance
Last recorded 2021Peak year
1978
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1934
Karilyn popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1934–2021
- Peak year (1978)
- 32
- Annual births at peak, across 88 years of records
Karilyn by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1980s was Karilyn's strongest decade.
172 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 19% of all-time use.
Karilyn births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1930s 23
1930s
23 births
- 1940s
1940s
78 births
- 1950s
1950s
115 births
- 1960s
1960s
109 births
- 1970s
1970s
129 births
- 1980s
1980s
172 births
- 1990s
1990s
117 births
- 2000s
2000s
99 births
- 2010s 50
2010s
50 births
- 2020s 5
2020s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 172 births (19% of all-time use).
How Karilyn compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Karilyn's total volume
Karilyn vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Karilyn by state
Where Karilyn concentrates geographically, total births since 1934
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Iowa | | 12 | 1.3% |
| #2 | California | | 5 | 0.6% |
| #3 | Michigan | | 5 | 0.6% |
Iowa share of Karilyn's total US births 1.3%
Even split
12 of 897 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 3 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Karilyn? ▼
897 babies have been named Karilyn since 1934. It was last recorded in 2021. The peak year was 1978 with 32 births.
When was Karilyn most popular? ▼
Karilyn was most popular in the 1980s decade with 172 total births. The single peak year was 1978.
Where is Karilyn most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Karilyn are Iowa (12 births), California (5 births), Michigan (5 births).
How long has the name Karilyn been used? ▼
Karilyn has been recorded in Social Security data since 1934, spanning 88 years of data through 2021.
What names are similar to Karilyn? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Karen, Kara, Karla, Karina, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Karilyn's data
- Karilyn's decade-level peak was the 1980s (172 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Iowa records the most Karilyns (12 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Iowa names
- 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 Karilyn
Nearby Names Like Karilyn
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Karilyn
Karen Girl
#1251 987,989 births
Kara Girl
#990 101,743 births
Karla Girl
#733 91,586 births
Karina Girl
#772 61,464 births
Kari Girl
#1843 59,696 births
Compare Karilyn side by side: Karilyn vs Karen Karilyn vs Kara Karilyn vs Karla
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of July 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, 1934–2021 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Karilyn: Baby Name Since 1934 - 897 Births, Peak 1978." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/karilyn. 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 Karilyn 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 July 2026.