Lin
Lin is the Mandarin romanization of the Chinese surname written 林, which has many variations depending on the language and is also used in Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia.
Meaning & Origin of Lin
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Lin is the Mandarin romanization of the Chinese surname written 林, which has many variations depending on the language and is also used in Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Lin
As a girl name
Lin first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1917, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1952, when 35 Lins were born — ranking #1,641 that year. As of 2026, Lin ranks #13,427 for girls with 6 births, gradually falling (-8%). In total, more than 1K Lins have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Lin first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1898, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1959, when 28 Lins were born — ranking #1,501 that year. As of 2026, Lin ranks #12,301 for boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 863 Lins have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1890s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Lin
Phonetically similar names — useful when Lin is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Lin
What does the name Lin mean?
How popular is Lin in 2026?
When was Lin most popular?
In which U.S. states is Lin most popular?
Is Lin a unisex name?
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About the name Lin
Lin is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1917 and has accumulated 1K births in the dataset. Lin's peak popularity came in 1952 when it ranked #1,641. Use the chart and map above to compare Lin's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1952 →
- Names of the 1950s →
- Names starting with "L" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.