How popular is the baby name Lynn in the United States right now? How popular was it historically? Use the popularity graph and data table below to find out! Plus, see all the blog posts that mention the name Lynn.

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Popularity of the baby name Lynn


Posts that mention the name Lynn

Where did the baby name Crystalgayle come from?

The Crystal Gayle album "We Must Believe In Magic" (1977).
Crystal Gayle album (1977)

The compound name Crystalgayle was a one-hit wonder in the U.S. baby name data in 1981:

  • 1983: unlisted
  • 1982: unlisted
  • 1981: 5 baby girls named Crystalgayle [debut]
  • 1980: unlisted
  • 1979: unlisted

The source, of course, is country singer Crystal Gayle.

The timing of the debut has less to do with her career, though, than with the sudden trendiness of the name Krystle, thanks to TV character Krystle Carrington (from the prime-time soap opera Dynasty).

But the name Crystal — without the Gayle — does seem to have been given a boost by Crystal Gayle’s best-known hit, “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue,” which came out in mid-1977. It was already on the rise in the ’70s, but that rise accelerated in ’77 and ’78:

  • 1979: 13,467 baby girls named Crystal (rank: 18th)
  • 1978: 12,592 baby girls named Crystal (rank: 18th)
  • 1977: 9,728 baby girls named Crystal (rank: 25th)
  • 1976: 6,947 baby girls named Crystal (rank: 36th)
  • 1975: 6,244 baby girls named Crystal (rank: 43rd)

Crystal Gayle was born Brenda Gail Webb in 1951. She was the youngest of eight; her siblings were named Melvin, Loretta, Herman, Willie, Donald, Peggy, and Betty.

Brenda was ready to start her singing career as soon as she was done with high school. At that point, her sister Loretta — nearly 19 years her senior — had already turned herself into famous country singer Loretta Lynn. So Brenda signed with Loretta’s recording label, Decca.

As the label already had Brenda Lee, a change of name was needed and, when they drove past a sign for Krystal hamburgers, Lynn said, ‘That’s your name. Crystals are bright and shiny, like you.’

(The founders of the fast food chain Krystal were keen on cleanliness, so they chose the name “Crystal” to evoke the idea of a crystal-clean restaurant, but decided to spell it with a “K” to make it distinctive.)

What are your thoughts on the name Crystal? What’s your preferred spelling of the name?

Sources:

  • Crystal Gayle – Wikipedia
  • Hogan, David G. Selling ’em by the Sack: White Castle and the Creation of American Food. NY: New York University Press, 1999.
  • Larkin, Colin. The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. 5th ed. London: Omnibus Press, 2011.
  • Shearer, John. “75 Years Of Krystal.” Chattanoogan.com 8 Oct. 2007.
  • SSA

What popularized the baby name Marilyn in the 1920s?

Broadway actress Marilyn Miller (1898-1936)
Marilyn Miller

In the early 1920s, the baby name Marilyn, which was already on the rise, began to rise much more swiftly:

  • 1925: 3,419 baby girls named Marilyn [rank: 83rd]
  • 1924: 2,860 baby girls named Marilyn [rank: 101st]
  • 1923: 2,286 baby girls named Marilyn [rank: 118th]
  • 1922: 1,698 baby girls named Marilyn [rank: 145th]
  • 1921: 696 baby girls named Marilyn [rank: 253rd]
  • 1920: 522 baby girls named Marilyn [rank: 288th]

By 1925, it was one of the top 100 girl names in the nation.

Graph of the popularity of the baby name Marilyn in the U.S. since 1880.
Usage of the baby name Marilyn

What popularized it?

Broadway star Marilyn Miller, who was at the height of her fame in the 1920s. After performing in several Ziegfeld Follies shows, she went on to star in musical comedies like Sally (1920), Sunny (1925), and Rosalie (1928). She also appeared in several films.

She was born Mary Ellen Reynolds in Indiana in 1898. Her stage name was created by combining her first name with her mother’s middle name (Lynn), and adding her stepfather’s surname (Miller). She initially spelled it “Marilynn.”

Sadly, Marilyn Miller died in 1936 (due to complications following nasal surgery). The same year, the name Marilyn reached the highest ranking it would ever attain:

  • 1939: 9,539 baby girls named Marilyn [rank: 19th]
  • 1938: 9,745 baby girls named Marilyn [rank: 19th]
  • 1937: 9,738 baby girls named Marilyn [rank: 13th]
  • 1936: 11,065 baby girls named Marilyn [rank: 13th]
  • 1935: 10,416 baby girls named Marilyn [rank: 14th]
  • 1934: 9,384 baby girls named Marilyn [rank: 17th]

A decade later, in 1946, Twentieth Century Fox executive Ben Lyon — a former actor who had co-stared with Marilyn Miller in her last film — signed a young actress named Norma Jeane Baker. She reminded him of Miller, so he suggested that she change her name to “Marilyn.” Adding her mother’s maiden name, she became “Marilyn Monroe.”

The baby name Marilyn remained in the top 100 until 1959, with Marilyn Monroe giving it a bit of a boost in the mid-1950s. Since then, though, usage has been slowly declining (except for a couple of years in the early 2010s, thanks to the 2011 Marilyn Monroe biopic My Week with Marilyn).

What are your thoughts on the name Marilyn?

Sources:

P.S. A few decades later, another Mary Ellen in the entertainment business became famous under the name Mala…

Baby girl gets 139 names: Tracy Mariclaire Lisa…

John and Margaret Nelson of Chesterfield, England, welcomed a baby girl at the very end of 1985. They named their daughter Tracy, but that’s not all they named her. This is Tracy’s full name:

Tracy Mariclaire Lisa Tammy Samantha Christine Alexandra Candy Bonnie Ursala Zoe Nichola Patricia Lynda Kate Jean Sandra Karren Julie Jane Elizabeth Felicity Gabriella Jackie Corina Constance Arabella Clara Honor Geraldine Fiona Erika Fillippa Anabel Elsie Amanda Cheryl Alanna Louisa Angie Beth Crystal Dawn Debbie Eileen Grace Susan Rebecca Valerie Kay Lena Margaret Anna Amy Carol Bella Avril Ava Audry Andrea Daphne Donna Cynthia Cassie Christabel Vivien Wendy Moira Jennifer Abbie Adelaide Carrissa Carla Anne Astrid Barbara Charissa Catalina Bonny Dee Hazel Iris Anthea Clarinda Bernadette Cara Alison Carrie Angela Beryl Caroline Emma Dana Vanessa Zara Violet Lynn Maggie Pamela Rosemary Ruth Cathlene Alexandrina Annette Hilary Diana Angelina Carrinna Victoria Sara Mandy Annabella Beverly Bridget Cecilia Catherine Brenda Jessica Isbella Delilah Camila Candace Helen Connie Charmaine Dorothy Melinda Nancy Mariam Vicki Selina Miriam Norma Pauline Toni Penny Shari Zsa-zsa Queenie Nelson

That’s 139 given names and 1 surname.

Why did John and Margaret do this to their daughter? According to John, “We just wanted to give her something for when she grows up.”

A reason that makes complete sense, of course.

Speaking of things that make sense, let’s pick out some of the needless repetition:

  • Alexandra (#7) and Alexandrina (#103)
  • Amanda (#36) and Mandy (#111)
  • Angela (#89), Angie (#40) and Angelina (#107)
  • Anna (#33), Anne (#74) and Annette (#104)
  • Bella (#56), Annabella (#112), Arabella (#27) and Isbella (#119)
  • Bonnie (#9) and Bonny (#79)
  • Candace (#122) and Candy (#8)
  • Carrissa (#72) and Charissa (#77)
  • Clara (#28) and Clarinda (#84)
  • Constance (#26) and Connie (#124)
  • Corina (#25) and Carrinna (#108)
  • Elizabeth (#21) and Beth (#41)
  • Margaret (#52) and Maggie (#98)
  • Mariam (#129) and Miriam (#131)
  • Victoria (#109) and Vicki (#130)
  • Zara (#95) and Sara (#110)

If you could go back in time and rename this baby, which two names (out of the 139) would you choose as her first and middle names?

Source: “Tracy for short.” Reading Eagle 24 Jan 1986: 1.