Linh
Linh is a Vietnamese name that means "soul" or "spirit". It is the Vietnamese pronunciation of the Chinese character 靈 (líng), which is not used as a surname in China.
Meaning & Origin of Linh
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Linh is a Vietnamese name that means "soul" or "spirit". It is the Vietnamese pronunciation of the Chinese character 靈 (líng), which is not used as a surname in China.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Linh
As a girl name
Linh first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1975, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1984, when 64 Linhs were born — ranking #1,703 that year. As of 2026, Linh ranks #9,125 for girls with 9 births, falling sharply (-33%). In total, more than 2K Linhs have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Linh first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1975, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1981, when 24 Linhs were born — ranking #2,138 that year. As of 2026, Linh ranks #5,501 for boys with 10 births, with steady use. In total, more than 213 Linhs have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Linh
Phonetically similar names — useful when Linh 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 Linh
What does the name Linh mean?
How popular is Linh in 2026?
When was Linh most popular?
In which U.S. states is Linh most popular?
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About the name Linh
Linh is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1975 and has accumulated 2K births in the dataset. Linh's peak popularity came in 1984 when it ranked #1,703. Use the chart and map above to compare Linh'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 →
- 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.