Lynn
Lynn or Lynne is a predominantly feminine given name in English-speaking countries. It is now more popular as a middle name than as a first name. It comes from Welsh, meaning "lake". It is also popular as a suffix for female first names.
Meaning & Origin of Lynn
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Lynn or Lynne is a predominantly feminine given name in English-speaking countries. It is now more popular as a middle name than as a first name. It comes from Welsh, meaning "lake". It is also popular as a suffix for female first names.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Lynn
As a girl name
Lynn first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1880, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1956, when 7,736 Lynns were born — ranking #58 that year. As of 2026, Lynn ranks #3,239 for girls with 49 births, falling sharply (-34%). In total, more than 182K Lynns have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Lynn first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1880, with 30 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1947, when 1,781 Lynns were born — ranking #151 that year. As of 2026, Lynn ranks #6,186 for boys with 14 births, falling sharply (-21%). In total, more than 52K Lynns have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Lynn
Phonetically similar names — useful when Lynn 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 Lynn
What does the name Lynn mean?
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In which U.S. states is Lynn most popular?
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About the name Lynn
Lynn is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 182K births in the dataset. Lynn's peak popularity came in 1956 when it ranked #58. Use the chart and map above to compare Lynn's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1956 →
- 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.