Jerolyn is a unique and charming female given name of Hebrew origin. It is derived from the Hebrew word "Yarallel," which means "song" or "melody." The name Jerolyn is believed to have been coined by American author and poet, Mary Noailles Murfree, who used it in her 1894 novel, "The Prophet of the Great Smoky Mountains."
In the novel, Jerolyn is portrayed as a young woman with a strong sense of self and an independent spirit. This characterization has contributed to the name's association with strength, courage, and individuality. Despite its literary origins, Jerolyn remains relatively rare, perhaps due in part to its unusual spelling and pronunciation.
Jerolyn is also sometimes associated with the name Geraldine, which shares a similar suffix (-lyn) and has a more established presence as a female given name. However, while both names may have some overlap in meaning or association, they are distinct in origin and sound.
Overall, Jerolyn is a unique and captivating name that carries with it a rich literary history and a beautiful Hebrew-derived meaning. Its rarity makes it all the more special, ensuring that those who bear this name stand out in a memorable way.
The name Jerolyn has seen a varied trend of popularity over the years in the United States. Between 1927 and 2019, there were a total of 544 babies named Jerolyn born in the US.
In its early years, Jerolyn was quite popular with peaks in the late 1930s to mid-1940s. The most notable year for births was 1942 with an impressive 20 newborns sharing this name. This high popularity may have been influenced by trends of the time, or perhaps it reflected a cultural significance attached to the name Jerolyn during that period.
However, after the mid-1950s, there seems to be a noticeable decline in the number of babies named Jerolyn. The peak was reached again briefly with 35 births in 1954, but since then, the popularity of this name has been relatively low and steady, rarely exceeding double-digit figures.
The most recent data from 1992 shows that there were only five babies named Jerolyn born that year. This indicates a significant decrease in the popularity of this name over time. Despite its decline in popularity, Jerolyn remains a unique and distinctive name with a rich history reflected in these statistical trends.