Boy · #1,455 in 2026

Linus

Linus, a male given name, is the Latin form of the Greek name Linos. It is a common given name in Sweden. The origin of the name is unknown although the name appears in antiquity both as a musician who taught Apollo and as a son of Apollo who died in infancy from anicient greece.

  • Greek Mythology
  • Ancient Greek
  • Swedish
  • Norwegian
Current Rank
#1,455
Peak Rank
#611 (2017)
Total Babies
6K
5-Yr Trend
-6%
1882
First Year
2026
Last Year
2017
Peak Year
#611
Peak Rank
6K
Total Count
129
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Linus

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Linus, a male given name, is the Latin form of the Greek name Linos. It is a common given name in Sweden. The origin of the name is unknown although the name appears in antiquity both as a musician who taught Apollo and as a son of Apollo who died in infancy from anicient greece.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

  • Greek Mythology
  • Ancient Greek
  • Swedish
  • Norwegian
  • Danish
  • German

The Story of Linus

Linus first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1882, with 10 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2017: 166 births, good for #1,141 nationwide. About 25% of every Linus on record arrived during the 2010s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Linus ranks #1,455 for baby boys with 126 births, gradually falling (-6%). All told, over 6K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1880s to the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Variants & Related Forms of Linus

Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Linus. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

  • Linos

Notable people named Linus

A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.

  • Pope Linus (died c. 76 ), second Bishop of Rome and Pope of the Catholic Church
  • Linus Arnesson (born 1994), Swedish ice hockey player
  • Linus Bylund (born 1978), Swedish politician
  • Linus B. Comins (1817–1892), American politician
  • Linus Diaz (born 1933), Sri Lankan long-distance runner
  • Linus Eklöf (born 1989), Swedish motorcycle speedway rider
  • Linus Eklöw (born 1979), better known by the stage name Style of Eye, Swedish DJ, producer, and songwriter
  • Linus Fernström (born 1987), Swedish hockey player

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Names that sound like Linus

Phonetically similar names — useful when Linus is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

  • Lyness
  • Lenis
  • Lowness
  • Linas
  • Lanus
  • Lunis
  • Likeness
  • Lioness
  • Lightness
  • Slyness
  • Laius
  • Flyness

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Linus

What does the name Linus mean?
Linus, a male given name, is the Latin form of the Greek name Linos. It is a common given name in Sweden. The origin of the name is unknown although the name appears in antiquity both as a musician who taught Apollo and as a son of Apollo who died in infancy from anicient greece.
What is the origin of the name Linus?
Linus has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German.
How popular is Linus in 2026?
In 2026, Linus ranks #1,455 among boys' names in the U.S., with 126 babies given the name that year.
When was Linus most popular?
Linus reached its peak popularity in 2017, ranking #611 that year with 166 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Linus most popular?
Linus has historically been most popular in North Dakota, Minnesota, Indiana. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Linus.
Is Linus a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Linus is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Linus?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Linus include Pearl, Eliseo, Samual. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.
What are nicknames or variants of Linus?
Common variants and related forms of Linus include Linos. These cover foreign-language equivalents, alternate spellings, and short forms.

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About the name Linus

Linus is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1882 and has accumulated 6K births in the dataset. Linus's peak popularity came in 2017 when it ranked #611. Use the chart and map above to compare Linus's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.