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Home › Baby Names Directory › Gatlin

Gatlin

♂ Boy

Pronounced GAT-lin /ˈɡæt.lɪn/High

Meaning: Possibly from Old English gad (fellow, companion) or a variant of the German surname Gätlin; exact etymology uncertainMedium

In 30 seconds: An English/German-origin surname name of uncertain etymology, associated with the Gatling gun (invented by Richard Jordan Gatling in 1861) and with country music artists. Its bold, rugged sound has made it attractive as a given name.
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Origin MediumEnglish
MeaningPossibly from Old English gad (fellow, companion) or a variant of the German surname Gätlin; exact etymology uncertain
U.S. rank (2025)#1026 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births217 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2022
Total births (all-time)≈ 4,468

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202219812025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Gatlin is a surname of uncertain etymology. Richard Jordan Gatling's surname, which gave the world the Gatling gun, shares the same phonetic base. As a given name, Gatlin is a modern American creation in the surname-name tradition.

Gatlin appeared in U.S. boys' birth data from the 2000s. It ranked #888 for boys in 2024.

Did you know? The Gatling gun — the precursor to the modern machine gun, invented by Richard Jordan Gatling (1818–1903) — gave the surname Gatling a permanent place in military history. The -lin form Gatlin shares the same sound and this historical edge.
Overall data confidence 65%
U.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

GatlingGaitlin

Nicknames

Gat

Famous Bearers

  • ★Justin Gatlin (born 1982)
    Justin Alexander Gatlin (born 10 February 1982 in Brooklyn, New York) is a retired American sprinter widely regarded as one of the greatest short-distance runners in history, having won the Olympic 100-metres gold medal at the 2004 Athens Games, the World Championship 100-metres title in 2005 and 2017, the 200-metres world title in 2005, and the 4×100-metres relay world title in 2019. His personal best of 9.74 seconds in the 100 metres (Doha, 2015) ranks among the fastest times ever officially recorded, and he won three consecutive Diamond League 100-metres titles from 2013 to 2015. Gatlin accumulated five Olympic medals and twelve World Championship medals across a career spanning two decades before retiring from competition in 2022 at age 40.

If you like Gatlin…

Beckett— two-syllable literary surname name with the same rugged confidence
Slade— short Old English surname with the same tough edge
Flint— one-syllable material/nature name with the same hard, American character
Dallas— place-name surname with the same Western American feel
Decker— two-syllable German-origin surname name in the same register

Explore names like Gatlin

By themeenglishamericantwo-syllablegermanruggeduncertain-origin

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Gatlin mean?

Gatlin's etymology is uncertain. It may derive from Old English gad (companion) or German Gätlin. It shares a name with Gatling gun inventor Richard Gatling.

How do you pronounce Gatlin?

It's said GAT-lin — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Gatlin a boy or girl name?

Gatlin is used as a boys' name.

How popular is Gatlin?

Gatlin ranked #888 for U.S. boys in 2024.

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