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.
- Vietnamese
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 →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Vietnamese
The Story of Linh
As a girl name
American parents first put Linh on the record books as a girl name in 1975, with 6 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1984, when 64 Linhs were born — ranking #1,703 that year. About 37% of every Linh on record arrived during the 1980s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Linh ranks #9,125 for girls with 9 births, falling sharply (-33%). All told, over 2K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1970s to the 2020s.
As a boy name
The earliest SSA record of Linh as a boy name dates back to 1975, when 5 babies received it. 1981 was its biggest year on record, with 24 newborns named Linh — #2,138 in the national rankings. About 66% of every Linh on record arrived during the 1980s, its defining decade. Linh last appeared in the published SSA data in 1995, with 10 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 213 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1970s to 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
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How popular is Linh in 2026?
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Is Linh a unisex name?
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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.