A 1880s favorite, climbing again.
Popularity of Blain since 1884
Babies named Blain per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 2003, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Blain's real moment was 1884.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 5 |
| 1890s | 0 |
| 1900s | 0 |
| 1910s | 47 |
| 1920s | 101 |
| 1930s | 76 |
| 1940s | 72 |
| 1950s | 183 |
| 1960s | 299 |
| 1970s | 242 |
| 1980s | 299 |
| 1990s | 365 |
| 2000s | 372 |
| 2010s | 184 |
| 2020s | 44 |
Meaning & origin
Blain is a rare given name that first appeared in U.S. records in 1884, when it held its peak rank of 7,679. After a long period of obscurity, the name has experienced a modest revival, rising in usage since 2021. Though its origins are debated, Blain is most often considered a spelling variant of the Scottish surname Blaine, which may derive from a Gaelic word for 'yellow' or 'field'. The name's rarity gives it a distinctive quality, appealing to parents seeking an uncommon yet familiar-sounding choice. With no top states in recent records, Blain remains a scattered and infrequent pick across the United States.
Blain is likely a variant of Blaine, a Scottish surname derived from the place name Blain in Ayrshire, which may come from Gaelic 'blà' meaning 'yellow' or 'field'. Alternatively, it could be a transferred use of the Irish surname Ó Bláithín, meaning 'descendant of Bláithín', a personal name possibly meaning 'little flower'. Records of Blain as a given name are rare, with early occurrences in the late 19th century, often in Scotland and the United States.
Nicknames & variants
Sibling names for Blain
Names that share Blain's style, for a brother or sister.
