Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 1998

Carlin

Meaning Carlin is a unisex given name and surname of Irish origin Gender Unisex · 42% girls Rank 2025 #6,520 Trend ↓ Falling 49%

Carlin is a unisex given name and surname of Irish origin.

Rank 2025
#6,520
among boys · ↑388 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
30
named Carlin · +15% vs 2024
How common
1 in 131,390
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1998
107 babies
All-time total
4,565
#2,780 all-time among boys
First recorded
1905
in Social Security records

Carlin popularity over time

4,565 babies have been named Carlin since 1905, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.010.020.030.0418801900192019401960198020002020GirlsBoys
BoysGirls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – – – –
1890s – – – – – –
1900s – 5 5 1 – #1,260
1910s – 58 58 6 +1060% #2,279
1920s 10 103 113 11 +95% #2,248
1930s 13 138 151 15 +34% #1,326
1940s 86 141 227 23 +50% #1,560
1950s 131 161 292 29 +29% #1,762
1960s 121 166 287 29 -2% #1,541
1970s 160 197 357 36 +24% #1,715
1980s 255 365 620 62 +74% #1,366
1990s 432 469 901 90 +45% #1,474
2000s 347 387 734 73 -19% #2,380
2010s 263 333 596 60 -19% #3,006
2020s (to 2025) 121 103 224 37 -37% #4,297

The story of Carlin

Carlin is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #6,520 in 2025 with 13 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1905, 4,565 American babies have been named Carlin, about 58% boys and 42% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1998, when 107 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1990s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Carlin stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Carlin?

The median living Carlin is about 31 years old; half are between 18 and 45. An estimated 4,000 people named Carlin are alive in the United States today.

median 31 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Carlin year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank Boys Boys rank
2025 17 #6,591 13 #6,520
2024 14 #7,667 12 #6,908
2023 17 #6,725 14 #6,278
2022 27 #4,932 23 #4,457
2021 20 #5,999 18 #5,148
2020 26 #4,910 23 #4,297
2019 25 #5,188 26 #4,022
2018 27 #4,910 32 #3,459
2017 27 #4,951 34 #3,321
2016 23 #5,659 39 #3,006
2015 35 #4,162 32 #3,442
2014 26 #5,188 29 #3,626
2013 27 #5,042 37 #3,009
2012 20 #6,388 38 #3,012
2011 26 #5,239 30 #3,526
2010 27 #5,133 36 #3,134
2009 31 #4,709 45 #2,711
2008 35 #4,378 54 #2,380
2007 29 #4,982 32 #3,386
2006 20 #6,413 42 #2,748
2005 33 #4,205 41 #2,669
2004 38 #3,759 37 #2,796
2003 40 #3,542 35 #2,794
2002 32 #3,997 29 #3,113
2001 38 #3,501 32 #2,871
2000 51 #2,820 40 #2,386
1995 47 #2,627 42 #1,991
1990 45 #2,605 46 #1,731
1985 21 #3,870 41 #1,571
1980 18 #4,168 25 #2,120
1975 16 #3,970 22 #2,074
1970 16 #3,737 15 #2,412
1965 5 #6,641 16 #1,993
1960 14 #3,375 24 #1,661
1955 12 #3,404 12 #2,319
1950 17 #2,447 17 #1,826
1945 9 #3,169 9 #2,418
1940 5 #4,449 17 #1,687
1935 – – 8 #2,747
1930 – – 15 #1,980
1925 – – 13 #2,329
1920 5 #5,092 9 #2,993
1915 – – 11 #2,328
1910 – – – –
1905 – – 5 #1,260
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Carlin, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Carlin?

The median living Carlin is about 31 years old. Half of all living Carlins are between 18 and 45 years old.

How many people named Carlin are alive today?

An estimated 4,000 people named Carlin are alive in the United States, based on 4,565 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Carlin mean?

Carlin is a unisex given name and surname of Irish origin.

How popular is the name Carlin in 2025?

Carlin ranked #6,520 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 13 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Carlin?

4,565 babies have been named Carlin in the United States since 1905, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Carlin most popular?

Carlin peaked in 1998, when 107 newborns received the name.

Is Carlin a boy or girl name?

Carlin is used for both: about 42% of babies named Carlin have been girls and 58% boys.

Is the name Carlin rising or falling?

Carlin is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Names like Carlin

Names that sound and feel close to Carlin: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Carlin with similar names → More names starting with C →