Lindsey
Lindsay is both an English and Scottish surname and a given name. The given name comes from the Scottish surname and clan name, which comes from the toponym Lindsey, which in turn comes from the Old English toponym Lindesege for the city of Lincoln, in which Lind is the original Brittonic form of the name of Lincoln and island refers to Lincoln being an island in the surrounding fenland.
- English
Meaning & Origin of Lindsey
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Lindsay is both an English and Scottish surname and a given name. The given name comes from the Scottish surname and clan name, which comes from the toponym Lindsey, which in turn comes from the Old English toponym Lindesege for the city of Lincoln, in which Lind is the original Brittonic form of the name of Lincoln and island refers to Lincoln being an island in the surrounding fenland.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Lindsey
The earliest SSA record of Lindsey as a baby girl name dates back to 1924, when 5 babies received it. 1984 was its biggest year on record, with 9,006 newborns named Lindsey — #35 in the national rankings. The 1980s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 46% of all recorded Lindseys. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #1,401 among baby girl names with 159 births, falling sharply (-36%). In total, more than 158K Lindseys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Lindsey
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Lindsey. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Lindsey
Phonetically similar names — useful when Lindsey 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 Lindsey
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About the name Lindsey
Lindsey is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1924 and has accumulated 158K births in the dataset. Lindsey's peak popularity came in 1984 when it ranked #35. Use the chart and map above to compare Lindsey's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1984 →
- Names of the 1980s →
- Names starting with "L" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.