Declining since 1987, #2,778 for girls today.
Popularity of Jaclyn since 1923
Babies named Jaclyn per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1988, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Jaclyn's real moment was 1979.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1920s | 47 |
| 1930s | 179 |
| 1940s | 396 |
| 1950s | 753 |
| 1960s | 710 |
| 1970s | 7,017 |
| 1980s | 21,802 |
| 1990s | 12,661 |
| 2000s | 3,979 |
| 2010s | 1,578 |
| 2020s | 510 |
Meaning & origin
Jaclyn is a name that peaked in popularity in 1979, ranking among the top choices for baby girls during that era. Since 1987, its usage has been steadily declining. In 2025, it ranked 2,778 with an occurrence of about 1 in every 26,349 newborn girls. The name first appeared on U.S. records in 1923, and its highest concentration of use has been in California.
Jaclyn is a modern English feminine form of Jacob, ultimately from Hebrew Ya'aqov. It emerged as a variant of Jacqueline, with the distinctive '-lyn' ending popular in mid-20th-century American naming. The name entered the U.S. popularity charts in 1923 and saw its greatest use in the 1970s and 1980s.
Where Jaclyn is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Jackie, Jaci, Jack
Variants: Jacquelyn, Jacklyn, Jacalyn, Jacqueline
Sibling names for Jaclyn
Names that share Jaclyn's style, for a brother or sister.
Names like Jaclyn
Names whose popularity has moved with Jaclyn's over the last 50 years.
