Carlin is a unisex name with a rare feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Carlin means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Carlin across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Carlin has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Carlin is a unisex name of Irish (Gaelic) origin meaning “little champion”. An anglicized Irish surname from a diminutive of the word for warrior.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 4,565 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 50 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Carlin per year, United States (1905 to 2025). United States peaked in 1998 (107/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2001 (6/yr).
Carlin is an uncommon baby name in the United States. It was most common in 1998, when it ranked #2,681 nationally (given to 111 babies that year).
Carolyn · Caroline · Carolina · Carlene · Carolann · Carolynn · Karolyn · Coraline
Not sure if it's the one? The best way to know is to see if your partner loves it too. Swipe baby names with your partner and match on the ones you both ❤️, free, no account needed to start.
Find your name together →